Eric Williams was a man
of contradictions. From a family that felt disenfranchised because of their
class and colour, but who were in many ways privileged compared to the working
class in the then British colony of Trinidad and Tobago. He was a man respected
for reaching the pinnacle of British education, yet he dedicated his life to
ending colonial rule. A lifelong scholar who was often unwilling to admit his
mistakes. A politician who used even his disabilities as tools of power.
Calling for ethnic unity in Party and country, yet not above using race to win
elections. A passionate loving husband to one wife, a cold and bitter wind to
another and party to a third, secret marriage. A man driven by hard-work and
discipline, who allowed corruption and intrigue to flourish around him. He was
seen as a man of the people, and at the same time, he saw himself as
intellectually superior to others; a visionary who expected his decisions to be
followed without opposition. He sought after mentors, then pushed away even
those closest to him. One of the first advocates of West Indian Federation, yet
unwilling to drive the union after Jamaica’s withdrawal. Anti-colonial, yet not
willing to depart radically from British systems of governance. A Prime
Minister who transformed the lives of many in Trinidad & Tobago through
education, political mobilisation, and economic development, yet did not go far
enough, some say, to undo the ongoing hierarchies of a post-colonial society. A
devoted father to his last daughter Erica, he could not, in the end, despite
her advice, leave the politics that had come to define his life. He died
unexpectedly under disturbing circumstances in office after 25 years of leading
Trinidad and Tobago. Still, Eric Williams’ power, personality and politics
continue to define the nation.
Inward Hunger: The Story of Eric Williams is a 3-part documentary series on the life of Dr. Eric Eustace
Williams, the first Prime Minister of Trinidad and Tobago. This groundbreaking
documentary was produced in recognition of the 100th Anniversary of
Williams’ birth on September 25th, 2011. It consists of three
episodes, each running for approx. 1 hour. Episode 1, Great Expectations,
follows Williams from his birth in the British West Indies in 1911 to his
dramatic entry into politics in 1955 as he “Let down his bucket” in Woodford Square,
Trinidad. Episode 2, Movement of the People, begins with the emergence of
Williams and the PNM as a political force, and the roller-coaster of events
that formed part of the West Indies’s struggle for independence, which came to
a head for Trinidad and Tobago in 1962. Episode 3, Power, covers Williams’
public and private life as the leader of a young nation full of expectations,
divisions and upheavals, leading up to the dramatic circumstances surrounding
his death.
The series explores both the political and personal life of Eric
Williams, in order to understand the multiple sides of his complex and
enigmatic character. It is the first documentary series to delve into the
character and life of Williams in such depth and from a variety of perspectives.
The documentary goes beyond “Williams as Prime Minister” to examine the diverse
facets of Williams’ personality, ideas and behaviour as eldest son in a large
family, student, historian, writer and educator, husband and father, friend,
professor, international civil servant, and Party leader. This portrait of
Williams reveals the aspects of his family and school life that shaped his
personality and perspectives from childhood; his understanding of colonial
society and his uneasy place in it, having won access to an elite colonial
education, yet facing financial hardship throughout his youth, and a pervasive
sense of discrimination; his charisma and public persona as a father-figure, a
saviour, a domineering and eventually distant leader; his privacy and intensity
in close/intimate relationships; his mentors
and the sometimes traumatic breaks with them; his career as an educator in the
classroom and in the public sphere; his fight with the Caribbean Commission and
entry into politics; his dominating leadership style and charismatic, yet
changeable political personality; his vision for an independent society – his
reforms and social transformation, hesitancy to change the status quo, the deep
loyalty and strong opposition he engendered from within the Party he created
and the wider society.
Williams is a highly controversial figure in Trinidad and Tobago
and the Caribbean - revered in some quarters, vilified in others. This series
attempts an honest exploration of both his strengths and weaknesses, his
successes and failures, his private and public lives. The documentary draws on
a wealth of written and audio-visual material on and by Dr. Eric Williams,
including rarely seen archival footage of Trinidad and Tobago in the 1950s and
60s. In addition, the series draws on extensive research on Williams published
by scholars such as Prof. Colin Palmer, Prof. Selwyn Ryan and Prof. Ken
Boodhoo. The
narration is carried by the powerful voice of Nigel Scott, while Williams’
voice and the voices of other characters in the series are brought to life by
renowned actor Albert Laveau and emerging talent Catherine Emmanuel. Calypsos craft a musical storyline, offering an everyday
man’s commentary on Williams at each step of his journey in public office. And
Francesco Emmanuel’s original score weaves through the series, connecting
music, voice and image.
Diverse perspectives on Williams come through original interviews
with journalists, writers, historians, revolutionaries, family members and
former politicians and associates of Williams. This pioneering documentary
series reveals Eric Williams in unprecedented breadth and depth, in the context
of the history, society, region and world that shaped him, the forces to which
he at times succumbed, and those he fought to change.
