Shari Petti, a creative director, cinematographer, writer, and producer, is driven by a deep curiosity about the human experience and a desire to give voice to the underrepresented. Drawing from her Trinidadian heritage, Shari’s films explore the complexities of Caribbean identity, culture, and history. A Fulbright scholar with an MFA in Cinematography from Florida State University and double major in Film Production and Film Studies from the University of the West Indies, Shari is adept at crafting documentaries, narrative films, experimental videos, commercials, music videos, and photographs. Her documentary series “Small Lime” (2016) provides an intimate, unfiltered glimpse into the lives of everyday Trinidadian youth, while her work on “Mas Prep”(2020-ongoing) explores the rich tradition of Trinidad’s carnival, celebrating the artisans and performers behind the scenes. Her documentary “Sorf Hair,”(2017) about the natural hair experience in Trinidad and Tobago, was nominated for Best Documentary Short at the Pan African Film Festival and the Nouveaux Regard Film Festival, won People’s Choice for Best Documentary at the Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival, and screened at several film festivals and universities globally. Shari’s narrative short film “Fantastic Friday” (2023), which has screened in London, Canada and across the Caribbean, merges documentary and narrative techniques, capturing the experience of Carnival in a story of friendship. Her work as a commercial cinematographer earned a “Silver Addy for Cinematography” in 2023 and as a creative director her work with Mccann Port of Spain won “Best of Show”, “Best Film, Video, Sound” “Gold Addy For Cinematography” “Gold Addy For Editing” “Silver Addy For Editing”, and “Silver for Best 60sec TV Spot” at the 2024 Caribbean Advertising Federation – American Advertising Awards. Shari also works in experimental video having collaborated with artist Christopher Cozier on “All around us – elsewheres are beginnings and endings” as a cinematographer for the 2019 Sharjah Biennial as well as Curator Andil Gosine as cinematographer for his film on artist Wendy Nanan which screened at the Art Museum of the Americas. Shari currently teaches Cinematography at the University of the West Indies St. Augustine.
Work history
M
M
FilmmakerMcCaan
Trinidad and TobagoFreelance
Skills
- Cinematography
- Directing Film
- Project Management
- Photography
- Editing
- Teaching
- Copywriting
- Creative Direction
- Documentary Film
- Experimental Film