Set in the bustling streets of downtown Trinidad, She Paradise follows 17-year-old Sparkle who is in search of a place to belong and discovered a free-spirited group of Soca dancers. Enamored by the glimpse of sisterhood, Sparkle convinces the dancers to take her under their wing. It’s all fun and games when the women bring Sparkle into a dizzying nightlife of partying, glamour and money, but things soon start to spiral out of control. Check out the film’s trailer above.
We can tell from the She Paradise trailer that viewers will be fully immersed in the culture of Trinidad. From the bright bold colors used throughout to the music and the actors, the film is sure to transport the audience to the Caribbean. There is also amazing talent: the film stars Onessa Nestor as Sparkle, and Kimberly Crichton, Chelsey Rampersad, and Denisia Latchman as the dancers.
Dance fans rejoice, because She Paradise features a lot of dancing, and the cast is mad talented. The trailer showcases various settings which allow for many types of dance to be featured. We see the ladies free-styling in the streets of Trinidad, rehearsing in a dance studio, and even enjoying the nightlife at the club. This informs part of the story as well because we see Sparkle (Onessa Nestor) doing some less-than-stellar moves at a dance audition only to see her kill it on a music video set later.
Sparkle becoming part of the dance crew is only part of the story here. We know she wants to join the Soca dancers, but why? It is simply the love of dance, longing for friendship, or is there something even deeper? What is her life missing that makes hanging with this older group so intriguing? As she spends more time with the dancers, Sparkle will have to evaluate if she is really gaining friendships or not.
A couple of clips in the trailer are from dramatic fights with presumably Sparkle’s father, who disagrees that dancing can be a job and doesn’t agree with her choices. The teenager does not seem phased by her father’s desires and continues to pursue her own. As she falls deeper into the world, even being a part of a music video, it seems that Sparkle got more than she bargained for, and possibly some unwanted attention.
What will it cost this young girl to follow her dreams? And will she discover that the price is too high to pay? If the trailer is any indication, we’re in for a wild ride with the feature. Written by Maya Cozier and Melinda Brown and directed by Cozier, She Paradise is a coming-of-age story that will keep viewers on the edge of their seats. The film is available in theaters, On Demand and Digital on November 19.
