Danielle Dieffenthaller at her Carenage home in 2020 for a Trini to the Bone feature. - Photo courtesy Mark Lyndersay
AS news of the death of popular TV and film producer Danielle Dieffenthaller spread on November 23, her life and work was celebrated by her peers, friends and family.
Her brother and soca artiste Kees Dieffenthaller announced her death via Instagram on November 22.
In the post he said, “We love you, Danny. Rest in eternal peace our beloved sister.”
Dieffenthaller was diagnosed with stage-five renal failure in 2018 and she also had heart surgery last year.
It was reported in February 2024 that there was a potential kidney donor on standby and she needed to raise around CAN$18,000 (TT$93,600). She had also been on dialysis since 2019.
Several of Dieffenthaller’s friends and colleagues extended their condolences to her brother.
Fellow soca artiste Machel Montano said she was a brilliant pioneer and one of TT’s greats.
“Our deepest condolences to your family in this time of loss. May you find some comfort in this time of loss and may her soul rest in eternal peace.”
Soca singer/songwriter Nadia Batson said, “Oh gosh (broken heart emoji). Please accept my condolences, Kesi. Sending love and light to the entire family. I have fond memories of working with her. I’m really sorry to hear this.”
Ravi B and Lady Lava were also among the thousands who sent their condolences to the Dieffenthaller family.
She was known for her work on the long-running local series Westwood Park, Caribbean’s Next Top Model, Hit for Six and Iere Vibe.
Literary organisation Bocas Lit Fest said in addition to an extensive career that included creating ground-breaking television series and music videos for Caribbean artists and producing dramatic, educational, environmental, political, and business projects for local, regional, and international audiences, Dieffenthaller was an advocate, not only for the Caribbean film industry but also for Caribbean voices.
“A friend of Bocas, Danielle made a profound impact through her work with our youth programmes. She approached every workshop with patience, care, and a passion for nurturing young creative voices by giving them the tools to express themselves boldly and creatively.
“Her influence continues to live on in the students she guided and the stories they now have the confidence to tell,” the organisation said in a statement across social media platforms.
The Ansa McAl Foundation and Anthony N Sabga Awards, Caribbean Excellence, said she was its 2019 Arts and Letters Laureate who was a passionate advocate for a strong Caribbean film industry. It said her production of Westwood Park remained a signature achievement in TT film production for its dramatic insight into the lives of middle-class Trinidadians.
“Syndicated in the US and UK, its longevity and viewership were major achievements in a small market where film-making resources were scarce,” the statement said.
CITATION/CREDIT: story by Melissa Doughty Newdsay