“Cinema is the art of our time and there is no future without culture”. This statement by H.E. Ambassador Celso Nuno encapsulate the reasons why the Spanish Embassy in Jamaica has decided to lend its support to the 2011 edition of the Reggae Film Festival by facilitating the participation of Spanish film maker Jep Jorba. The film director, who attended the first Reggae Film Festival in 2008 with his film “Rico Rodriques: The Legacy” will travel to Jamaica as a guest of the Spanish Embassy with his film entry “Intensified”, a documentary about the British band that revived interest in Ska in Europe in the 1980s and since.
Ambassador Nuno says that the economic potential of the audiovisual industry as a country´s soft power tool is widely recognised. “Reggae is undoubtedly one of Jamaica´s most genuine identity trademarks and appeals strongly to foreign markets,” says the Ambassador. “One may therefore conclude that the combination of cinema and Reggae is a cocktail which guarantees success.”
Jep Jorba is a musician himself and member of a Spanish ska band. While in Jamaica Jorba, who comes from the Catalonia region of Spain, will film a documentary on the film festival and Jamaica, which he intends to enter in the 2012 Reggae Film Festival.
The Reggae film Festival is presented by the Jamaica Film Academy with sponsorship support from RBC/RBTT, UNESCO, the EMBASSY OF SPAIN IN JAMAICA, IRIE-FM, TAIT COMPUTER SERVICES, REGGAE FILMS UK, SUGASHAK RECORDS.
Sunday, 8 May 2011
Tuesday, 26 April 2011
Reggae Film Festival relocates to Kingston
The JAMAICA FILM ACADEMY has announced final plans for the 4th JAMAICA REGGAE FILM FESTIVAL to be held at STUDIO 38, Trafalgar Road, New Kingston from May 23-27. STUDIO 38 CEO Kingsley Cooper, has welcomed the REGGAE FILM FESTIVAL to the venue's calendar of events, and all is set for a five- night programme of film screenings, seminars and meetings of the Jamaican and international film communities.
A main focus of interest at the festival this year is the Make A Film In 24 Hours competition, in which teams will use any media to make a 5-minute film in 24 hours and compete for prizes including cash, Jamaican vacations and entry in international film festivals.
UNESCO, through the Jamaica National Commission for UNESCO, is supporting the Reggae Film Festival as an event celebrating the UN Year of African Descendants which will be celebrated at the Festival on May 25, African Liberation Day. UNESCO will present the Honour Award for Best Documentary.
Entries in the Reggae Film Festival have come from the USA, UK, Antigua, Poland, Brazil and Catalonia, with the largest number of entries from Jamaica whose 11 entries include animation, short and long features and documentaries. Films include:
• 'Rocksteady – The Movie', (USA) A brilliant feature film starring Cedric Sanders, whose performance won him a role in THE SOCIAL NETWORK, and David Hinds, lead singer of Steel Pulse reggae band which provided the film's soundtrack.
• 'Reggae Britannia (UK) – the February 2011 BBC documentary tribute to Jamaica's reggae and its influence on Britain.
• 'Intensified' (SPAIN)– A look at the British band that revived interest in Ska in the 80s, long after it was no longer popular in Jamaica, and inspired scores of European bands to follow their example.
• 'Bob Marley – Making Of A Legend (JA/UK) – Rare footage by Jamaican actress Esther Anderson of Marley and musicians in the early years before the 'Catch A Fire” album.
• 'Room For Rent' (JA) – Film of Ginger Knight's popular roots play, a load of laughs starring Volier Johnson, Deon Silvera.
This year's festival includes five films by female directors, including the short features 'Dinner' by Tameka Jarvis-George of Antigua, and 'Reckoning' by Jamaican film student Jovel Johnson. Innovative entries from Jamaica include animated films “Bad Influence' byReinardo “Menta l” Chung and 'Cabbie Chronicles' by Alison Tabois Latchman.
Among the unusual entries are 'David Is Dying' -- a Black British feature by director Stephen Lloyd Jackson, and 'Bubblin', a feature by new Jamaican director Denisse Campbell in which a country girl turns go-go dancer to make ends meet. Both films will be shown in the Midnight Movies programme to be screened after midnight.
Special guests of the REGGAE FILM FESTIVAL are David 'Steel Pulse' Hinds, who stars in the US feature film 'Rocksteady – The Movie; producers Mitzie and Howard Allen of HamaFilms Antigua, directors of 'Skin”; and Jamaican actors Audrey Reid and Carl Davis – all of whom will participate in the Film Festival Seminars. A contingent of supporters from the 'Rocksteady' film production company led by producer Stephen Mays will be attending the festival. Antiguan producer-director Tamika Jarvis-George of the short film 'Dinner', British director Stephen Lloyd Jackson, and first-time director Jamaican Denisse Campbell of the feature film 'Bubblin'', are all expected in Jamaica for the week-long event.
The REGGAE FILM FESTIVAL is an annual event presented by the JAMAICA FILM ACADEMY to inspire and influence the development of the Jamaican film industry, with special emphasis on films that focus on or include Jamaica's reggae music culture. Winning entries will be included in the Best of the Reggae Film Festival international tour to the UK, USA and Europe.
FURTHER INFORMATION: reggaefilmfestival@gmail.com
A main focus of interest at the festival this year is the Make A Film In 24 Hours competition, in which teams will use any media to make a 5-minute film in 24 hours and compete for prizes including cash, Jamaican vacations and entry in international film festivals.
UNESCO, through the Jamaica National Commission for UNESCO, is supporting the Reggae Film Festival as an event celebrating the UN Year of African Descendants which will be celebrated at the Festival on May 25, African Liberation Day. UNESCO will present the Honour Award for Best Documentary.
Entries in the Reggae Film Festival have come from the USA, UK, Antigua, Poland, Brazil and Catalonia, with the largest number of entries from Jamaica whose 11 entries include animation, short and long features and documentaries. Films include:
• 'Rocksteady – The Movie', (USA) A brilliant feature film starring Cedric Sanders, whose performance won him a role in THE SOCIAL NETWORK, and David Hinds, lead singer of Steel Pulse reggae band which provided the film's soundtrack.
• 'Reggae Britannia (UK) – the February 2011 BBC documentary tribute to Jamaica's reggae and its influence on Britain.
• 'Intensified' (SPAIN)– A look at the British band that revived interest in Ska in the 80s, long after it was no longer popular in Jamaica, and inspired scores of European bands to follow their example.
• 'Bob Marley – Making Of A Legend (JA/UK) – Rare footage by Jamaican actress Esther Anderson of Marley and musicians in the early years before the 'Catch A Fire” album.
• 'Room For Rent' (JA) – Film of Ginger Knight's popular roots play, a load of laughs starring Volier Johnson, Deon Silvera.
This year's festival includes five films by female directors, including the short features 'Dinner' by Tameka Jarvis-George of Antigua, and 'Reckoning' by Jamaican film student Jovel Johnson. Innovative entries from Jamaica include animated films “Bad Influence' byReinardo “Menta l” Chung and 'Cabbie Chronicles' by Alison Tabois Latchman.
Among the unusual entries are 'David Is Dying' -- a Black British feature by director Stephen Lloyd Jackson, and 'Bubblin', a feature by new Jamaican director Denisse Campbell in which a country girl turns go-go dancer to make ends meet. Both films will be shown in the Midnight Movies programme to be screened after midnight.
Special guests of the REGGAE FILM FESTIVAL are David 'Steel Pulse' Hinds, who stars in the US feature film 'Rocksteady – The Movie; producers Mitzie and Howard Allen of HamaFilms Antigua, directors of 'Skin”; and Jamaican actors Audrey Reid and Carl Davis – all of whom will participate in the Film Festival Seminars. A contingent of supporters from the 'Rocksteady' film production company led by producer Stephen Mays will be attending the festival. Antiguan producer-director Tamika Jarvis-George of the short film 'Dinner', British director Stephen Lloyd Jackson, and first-time director Jamaican Denisse Campbell of the feature film 'Bubblin'', are all expected in Jamaica for the week-long event.
The REGGAE FILM FESTIVAL is an annual event presented by the JAMAICA FILM ACADEMY to inspire and influence the development of the Jamaican film industry, with special emphasis on films that focus on or include Jamaica's reggae music culture. Winning entries will be included in the Best of the Reggae Film Festival international tour to the UK, USA and Europe.
FURTHER INFORMATION: reggaefilmfestival@gmail.com
Saturday, 2 April 2011
CASH PRIZES FOR REGGAE FILM FESTIVAL HONOUR AWARDS
Winners of Honour Awards for excellence in film making arts will each receive cash prizes of $50,000 in this year's REGGAE FILM FESTIVAL, to be held May 23-27 in Montego Bay. Honour Awards in 13 categories will be sponsored by organizations supporting the growth and development of Jamaican culture in fil m, who will also contribute a percentage of their sponsorship to a fund for future film productions to be administered by the Jamaica Film Academy which organizes the annual Reggae Film Festival.
This was announced by Carl Bradshaw, Chairman of the Jamaica Film Academy, as he accepted a cheque from UNESCO to sponsor the International Documentary Honour Award. The presentation was made by Ms. Hilchuli Gurug, UNESCO Programme Specialist for Culture, Mr. Everton Hannam, Secretary General of the Jamaica National Commission forUNESCO, and Dr. Maria Smith, JNC-UNESCO Programme Manager at the New Kingston offices.
The UNESCO officials said they recognize the Reggae Film Festival as a positive celebration of the UN Year of African Descendants, and the fact that African Liberation Day occurs on May 25 during the film festival provides UNESCO with an opportunity to highlight Jamaica's reggae culture as an excellent expression of African Liberation by African descendants.
With the festival's move to the island's premier resort city, plans are in place to present an first class event that will make its mark among the premiere international film festivals. Invited celebrity guests include David 'Steel Pulse' Hinds, star of the US feature film “Rocksteady”, US actor Laurence Fishbourne, narrator of the music documentary “Everyday Sunshine”, Jeremy Marre, director of the BBC entry “Reggae Britannia”, Mitzie Allen of HamaFilms Antigua, Jamaican music video director Rass Kassa and actresses Sheryl Lee Ralph and Audrey Reid.
FURTHER INFO: reggaefilmfestival(at)gmail.com
 |
| UNESCO executives Dr. Maria Smith, Everton Hannam and Hilchuli Gurung with JFA's Carl Bradshaw and RFF Barbara Blake Hannah |
This was announced by Carl Bradshaw, Chairman of the Jamaica Film Academy, as he accepted a cheque from UNESCO to sponsor the International Documentary Honour Award. The presentation was made by Ms. Hilchuli Gurug, UNESCO Programme Specialist for Culture, Mr. Everton Hannam, Secretary General of the Jamaica National Commission forUNESCO, and Dr. Maria Smith, JNC-UNESCO Programme Manager at the New Kingston offices.
The UNESCO officials said they recognize the Reggae Film Festival as a positive celebration of the UN Year of African Descendants, and the fact that African Liberation Day occurs on May 25 during the film festival provides UNESCO with an opportunity to highlight Jamaica's reggae culture as an excellent expression of African Liberation by African descendants.
With the festival's move to the island's premier resort city, plans are in place to present an first class event that will make its mark among the premiere international film festivals. Invited celebrity guests include David 'Steel Pulse' Hinds, star of the US feature film “Rocksteady”, US actor Laurence Fishbourne, narrator of the music documentary “Everyday Sunshine”, Jeremy Marre, director of the BBC entry “Reggae Britannia”, Mitzie Allen of HamaFilms Antigua, Jamaican music video director Rass Kassa and actresses Sheryl Lee Ralph and Audrey Reid.
FURTHER INFO: reggaefilmfestival(at)gmail.com
Tuesday, 1 March 2011
Jamaica Reggae Film Festival preview 25th Feb. Bob Marley Museum, Hope Rd., Kingston, JA
Each year many films are made by film makers all over the world about Jamaica, this is a phenomenon which is pretty unique to the small island of Jamaica, can you think of any other country which has over 100 films per year made about it's culture.
The Reggae Film Festival setup to showcase the best of these films and is pushing forward this whole category of film as a new film "sub-genre".
"The Reggae Film Festival is all about the celebration of Jamaican culture through film, it's an event for all Jamaican people to be proud of, the films we show are a tribute to all Jamaicans. The large number of films which get made each year about Jamaica is clear evidence of just how much influence Jamaica has had upon the rest of the world and people should embrace all these films as they all pay tribute to Jamaican people and culture. "
The Reggae Film Festival preview event is the first in an island-wide series of activities leading up to the May event.
The event will include Films, trailers of Festival Entries and CineChats with actors, film makers & music makers.
Takes place 25th Feb at the Legend Cafe, Bob Marley Museum, Hope Rd., Kingston. Starts 7pm
ADMISSION: Free.
Food and Drink on Sale.
Presented by: JAMAICA FILM ACADEMY
Tuesday, 15 February 2011
FESTIVAL NEWS - BBC ENTERS 'REGGAE BRITANNIA'
REGGAE FILM FESTIVAL NEWS
By popular request of fans of the Reggae Film Festival, the month of February will not pass without a taste of Reggae films. As such, the Jamaica Film Academy will host a REGGAE FILM FESTIVAL PREVIEW at the Bob Marley Legend Cafe, 56 Hope Road, on February 25. The event will show trailers of films already entered in the film festival, scheduled for May 23-27 at the Whitter Village, Ironshore, Montego Bay.
From the JFA archive labelled 'The Best of the Reggae Film Festival', COUNTRYMAN is a classic film by Jamaican director Dickie Jobson. A small plane flown by a young American couple crashes off the Hellshire coast and the police begin a hunt for what is assumed to be a ganja escapade gone awry. The couple are rescued by Countryman, a native fisherman and mystic, whose fire-cooked meal of Jamaican food he prepares for the couple has become a classic of reggae film scenes.
Jamaica Film Academy chairman, actor Carl Bradshaw does his usual good job of playing a major film role, this time as the police chief and will answer questions from the audience in the CineChat session after the screening. Young Jamaican digital animator Reinardo Chung will showcase his film BAD INFLUENCE and talk about his film art.
BBC-TV ENTERS REGGAE FILM FESTIVAL
The Jamaica Film Academy is proud to announce that BBC-TV has entered its first film in the Reggae Film Festival with REGGAE BRITANNIA, an exciting new documentary spotlighting some of the genre's most influential and greatest artists. Part of the highly successful and critically acclaimed Britannia series for BBC Four, Reggae Britannia explores and celebrates the impact of reggae on British music and culture from the Sixties through to the mid-Eighties.
The documentary delves into the world of reggae, examining everything from the music, the bass lines and the spliff, to black kids speaking brummie or cockney, the romance of Jamaica and the smell of British streets in the Seventies. Travelling through the years, the programme talks to the performers who brought their music to the UK from Jamaica, discusses how reggae helped forge Rock Against Racism, showcases the New Wave bands of the Eighties who were influenced by the genre and explores how the genre became a part of the British mainstream my the mid-Eighties.
Directed by Jeremy Marre, the programme hears from The Specials, Dennis Bovell, Chris Blackwell, UB40, Paul Weller, Janet Kay and Carroll Thompson, Dennis Alcapone, Boy George and many more.
OTHER DOCUMENTARY ENTRIES
The BBC entry will face stiff competition for the Best Documentary Honour Award, as it will compete with such films as HOLDING ON TO JAH, the long-awaited documentary tribute to Emperor Haile Selassie 1, and INTENSIFIED, the story of the British band that made Ska a popular musical phenomenon in the UK long after it was no longer the music of Jamaican reggae.
The surprising renewal of interest in the brass-bound, big band music of the Jamaican 50s that was revived by INTENSIFIED, provides historic interviews, stero-recorded soundtrack and an inside look at some of the people who love reggae music, even though they were not Jamaican, or even Black. Directed by Spanish film maker Jep Jorba, whose film on Rico Rodriques was an entry in the 2008 RFF, INTENSIFIED tells their interesting story.
PHOTO CAPTION
FISHBONE
Another interesting documentary entry is SUPERSTONIC DUB about film maker Don Letts (DANCE HALL QUEEN, Bob Marley videos) and his history as a DJ who introduced dub music to British clubs and radio. Historical footage and good interview.
EVERYDAY SUNSHINE is a surprising feature documentary about US rock band FISHBONE, who included reggae in their avant-garde, dynamic and revolutionary music that influenced such bands as No Doubt, Black Eyed Peas and more. Fascinating footage and story narrated by 'Matrix' star Laurence Fishbourne are certain to capture interest and viewer votes.
The Reggae Film Festival is a project of the JAMAICA FILM ACADEMY, a Non-Government Organisation (NGO) that is funded by private sector sponsorship.
--
BARBARA BLAKE HANNAH - DirectorJAMAICA FILM ACADEMY - REGGAE FILM FESTIVAL 2011
P.O. Box 727, Kingston 6, Jamaica
WEBSITE: http://www.jamaicafilmacademy.org
Sunday, 21 March 2010
Reflections on the 3rd Reggae Film Festival
Article taken from:
Jamaica Gleaner News - Reflections on the 3rd Reggae Film Festival - Entertainment - Sunday March 21, 2010
The Jamaica Film Academy (JFA) took another bold step forward with its presentation of the third annual Reggae Film Festival, which featured and promoted Jamaica's famous reggae music culture. Film and still-cameras recorded several aspects of the event, as film-makers, actors and actresses, as well as film lovers, mingled at the Hilton Kingston hotel and the Cove Restaurant between February 25 and March 2.
In fulfilling its objective of developing an indigenous Jamaican film industry, the JFA was proud that the most important aspect of the 2010 event was the discovery and exposure of new young Jamaican film-makers and the emergence of a new Jamaican cinema style trodding in the footsteps of the guns-and-drugs-glorifying The Harder They Come, emerging from the same inner-city communities that produce today's reggae. These included Allan Tennant, whose controversial short, Kapskilla - Nine Days to Live, ruffled feathers; Kurt Fuller, the young first-time director from Trench Town whose film, Concrete Jungle, mirrors his volatile community; and Amaziyah The Great, the Spanish Town music videographer who entered the Make A Film In 24 Hours competition and, up against professionals Jay Will and Dr Noel Howell, amazed everyone with his competence, interesting story and delivery of Ghetto Life.
Female film-makers
The festival also discovered three new female film-makers - the brilliant, self-taught animator, Coretta Singer, whose Nickelodeon TV award winner, Kina Sky, was a festival hit; documentary film-maker Diana O'Gilvie (Chasing Daddy) and Jacqueline Huie, whose Pickney Children entertained the young ones. The Reggae Film Festival also recognised two actresses - Melissa Fearon, who has been doing great work in several films and TV programmes, including The Candy Story, Royal Palm Estate and two of the festival films - Ras Kassa's short feature Not To Me and the Howell/Will 24 Hours Film entry, At The Supermarket. The other female actress acknowledged was Macka Diamond for her perfor-mance in Redemption to Paradise.
Mark Gibbs received recognition in the New Jamaican Cinema category. The young actor in the United States feature, Wah Do Dem, got a chance to shine and to meet directors who may hire him in the future.
Another innovation of the Reggae Film Festival was a children's programme, at which students from six Corporate Area schools and two children's homes were treated to films, snacks, drinks and a talk by leading actor Carl Davis, a drama tutor at Camperdown High School.
SURPRISES
The third Reggae Film Festival held many surprises, not least of which was the fact that it took place without financial support from any government agency.
It can be seen, therefore, how important and generous was the help given in goods and services by our sponsors, including the media.
The Hilton Kingston hotel went out on a limb with its optimism that the event would secure its needed funding and, when it did not, the Hilton still bent over backwards to accommodate the festival. Thankfully, the Hilton was pleased at the ambience and activity, as well as expenditures for rooms, food and beverages that the event brought in. Phase Three, which provided the projection equipment with kindness and thoughtfulness, was the backbone of the event, without which it could not have taken place. The support of its co-founder, Marcia Forbes, from the early planning stages, demonstrated why she was selected as the newest inductee of the Jamaica Film Academy pioneers.
Prominent j'can film industry
Jamaica has long been recognised as the hub of Caribbean film-making.
As Antiguan film maker Dr Noel Howell said at the Reggae Film Festival seminar, "Jamaican films lead the Caribbean. Jamaican film-making set the pace with The Harder They Come, and those of us outside Jamaica can only try to catch up." Howell then announced he was returning to Antigua to start the Antigua Film Academy and annual film festival, inspired by Jamaica's example.
Indeed, so internationally popular is Jamaican culture, that film-makers around the world are focusing their lenses on Jamaican music, history and stories to such a large extent that they have created a film genre that already sells itself, providing a bounty of films for our festival, and a great marketing avenue for Jamaican films and film-makers, which is precisely what the industry needs.
The Reggae Film Festival provides an international marketplace for films of this genre, which is why film-makers enter their films and come to Jamaica from all over the world. Film-makers from Japan (two), Britain (two), Hawaii (nine), Canada (three) and the USA (five) paid their way to Jamaica for the festival. The BBC and Reuters were among the media attending, and a documentary of the event was filmed by a director attending.
All was not without incident at the 2010 Reggae Film Festival. Several films did not get shown, as events outpaced available time. Some film-makers, including one who came from Canada in a party of three, took it all with grace, happy just to be at the event. Others were upset and complained about 'poor organisation'. We hope that funding in 2011 will enable us to hire staff to perform the many duties that were handled by a very few.
Lack of funding
Lack of funding also caused a last-minute move to a second venue which, while providing the JFA with a future 'home', caused confusion. And even though we presented 14 Honour Awards (purposely avoiding naming our awards 'Best'), I personally wish that all the films entered could have come away with an award, as it was hard to separate just one in each category from the other excellent films. Perhaps certificates of participation for all films would make for happier film-makers all round.
But despite it all, the fact that the third Reggae Film Festival took place successfully in the presence of happy people showed that the effort was worth it and provides the JFA with a solid example from which to see support in 2011. We have already started planning.
Barbara Blake Hannah is the executive director of the Jamaica Film Academy.
Jamaica Gleaner News - Reflections on the 3rd Reggae Film Festival - Entertainment - Sunday March 21, 2010
In fulfilling its objective of developing an indigenous Jamaican film industry, the JFA was proud that the most important aspect of the 2010 event was the discovery and exposure of new young Jamaican film-makers and the emergence of a new Jamaican cinema style trodding in the footsteps of the guns-and-drugs-glorifying The Harder They Come, emerging from the same inner-city communities that produce today's reggae. These included Allan Tennant, whose controversial short, Kapskilla - Nine Days to Live, ruffled feathers; Kurt Fuller, the young first-time director from Trench Town whose film, Concrete Jungle, mirrors his volatile community; and Amaziyah The Great, the Spanish Town music videographer who entered the Make A Film In 24 Hours competition and, up against professionals Jay Will and Dr Noel Howell, amazed everyone with his competence, interesting story and delivery of Ghetto Life.
Female film-makers
The festival also discovered three new female film-makers - the brilliant, self-taught animator, Coretta Singer, whose Nickelodeon TV award winner, Kina Sky, was a festival hit; documentary film-maker Diana O'Gilvie (Chasing Daddy) and Jacqueline Huie, whose Pickney Children entertained the young ones. The Reggae Film Festival also recognised two actresses - Melissa Fearon, who has been doing great work in several films and TV programmes, including The Candy Story, Royal Palm Estate and two of the festival films - Ras Kassa's short feature Not To Me and the Howell/Will 24 Hours Film entry, At The Supermarket. The other female actress acknowledged was Macka Diamond for her perfor-mance in Redemption to Paradise.
Mark Gibbs received recognition in the New Jamaican Cinema category. The young actor in the United States feature, Wah Do Dem, got a chance to shine and to meet directors who may hire him in the future.
Another innovation of the Reggae Film Festival was a children's programme, at which students from six Corporate Area schools and two children's homes were treated to films, snacks, drinks and a talk by leading actor Carl Davis, a drama tutor at Camperdown High School.
SURPRISES
The third Reggae Film Festival held many surprises, not least of which was the fact that it took place without financial support from any government agency.
It can be seen, therefore, how important and generous was the help given in goods and services by our sponsors, including the media.
The Hilton Kingston hotel went out on a limb with its optimism that the event would secure its needed funding and, when it did not, the Hilton still bent over backwards to accommodate the festival. Thankfully, the Hilton was pleased at the ambience and activity, as well as expenditures for rooms, food and beverages that the event brought in. Phase Three, which provided the projection equipment with kindness and thoughtfulness, was the backbone of the event, without which it could not have taken place. The support of its co-founder, Marcia Forbes, from the early planning stages, demonstrated why she was selected as the newest inductee of the Jamaica Film Academy pioneers.
Prominent j'can film industry
Jamaica has long been recognised as the hub of Caribbean film-making.
As Antiguan film maker Dr Noel Howell said at the Reggae Film Festival seminar, "Jamaican films lead the Caribbean. Jamaican film-making set the pace with The Harder They Come, and those of us outside Jamaica can only try to catch up." Howell then announced he was returning to Antigua to start the Antigua Film Academy and annual film festival, inspired by Jamaica's example.
Indeed, so internationally popular is Jamaican culture, that film-makers around the world are focusing their lenses on Jamaican music, history and stories to such a large extent that they have created a film genre that already sells itself, providing a bounty of films for our festival, and a great marketing avenue for Jamaican films and film-makers, which is precisely what the industry needs.
The Reggae Film Festival provides an international marketplace for films of this genre, which is why film-makers enter their films and come to Jamaica from all over the world. Film-makers from Japan (two), Britain (two), Hawaii (nine), Canada (three) and the USA (five) paid their way to Jamaica for the festival. The BBC and Reuters were among the media attending, and a documentary of the event was filmed by a director attending.
All was not without incident at the 2010 Reggae Film Festival. Several films did not get shown, as events outpaced available time. Some film-makers, including one who came from Canada in a party of three, took it all with grace, happy just to be at the event. Others were upset and complained about 'poor organisation'. We hope that funding in 2011 will enable us to hire staff to perform the many duties that were handled by a very few.
Lack of funding
Lack of funding also caused a last-minute move to a second venue which, while providing the JFA with a future 'home', caused confusion. And even though we presented 14 Honour Awards (purposely avoiding naming our awards 'Best'), I personally wish that all the films entered could have come away with an award, as it was hard to separate just one in each category from the other excellent films. Perhaps certificates of participation for all films would make for happier film-makers all round.
But despite it all, the fact that the third Reggae Film Festival took place successfully in the presence of happy people showed that the effort was worth it and provides the JFA with a solid example from which to see support in 2011. We have already started planning.
Barbara Blake Hannah is the executive director of the Jamaica Film Academy.
Wednesday, 17 March 2010
3rd Reggae Film Festival a Succes
The 3rd annual Reggae Film Festival ended Saturday February 27th at the Hilton Kingston Hotel with the presentation of Honour Awards in 14 categories by Jamaica Film Academy Pioneer, actor Carl Bradshaw. These included 4 Special Honour Awards in the New Jamaican Cinema category to Animator Coretta Singer, Directors Allan 'Endless' Tennant, Kurt Fuller, Amaziyah The Great and Diana Ogilvie, and to Actress Macka Diamond.
The Honour Award for International Documentary was presented to Director Shizuo 'E.C. Ishii for his film 'Ruffn' Tuff: Founders of the Immortal Riddim”, a film honouring musical greats Gladdy Anderson, Lynn Taitt, Bob Andy, Leroy Sibbles and many other members of Jamaica's musical history. 'Dimaggio: The Last Don” directed by Peter Dean Rickards received the Jamaican Documentary Honour Award. Ras Kassa received the Honour Award for Music Video for his entry "All I Need Is You" for Michael Franti.
Make A Film In 24 Hours Competition
Honour Awards were presented to each of two entries in the 'Make A Film In 24 Hours' competition by film and TV director Rick Elgood, who commended them on their adventurous spirit as film makers to take up the challenge and produce interesting 5-minute films in such a short time. Team One, led by Dr. Noel Howell with film maker Jay Will received the award for “At the Supermarket', while Team Two led by Amaziah The Great was honoured for the entry “Ghetto Life'.
Melissa Fearon was honoured as Actress for her roles in two of the Festival films - “Not To Me' by Director Ras Kassa, and “At the Supermarket” by 24 Hours film Team One led by Dr. Noel Howell, among nominees Macka Diamond in “Redemption of Paradise' and Nancy Alvarez-Pellegrini, lead actress in 'A Dance For Grace'. Honoured Actor was ,Orville Matherson in 'A Dance For Grace', competing against performances by DJ Singy Singy in “Concrete Jungle, Kingston 12” and Mark Gibbs in 'Wah Do Dem'. Director Ras Kassa received an Honour Award for his Music Video 'All I Need is You: Michael Franti".
Honour Awards – Feature films
The J-American feature film “A Dance for Grace” received the Jamaican Feature Film Honour Award, received by Actor/co-producer Orville Matherson, Executive Producer Joan Edwards and Junior Powell, Screenwriter/Director.
The American feature “Wah Do Dem” won the International Feature Film Honour Award, received by Producer/Directors Ben Chace and Sam Fleischer who flew to Jamaica from California to attend the festival.
The Honour Award for Caribbean Culture was presented to Director Dr. Noel Howell for his entry “Redemption of Paradise” filmed in Antigua, and an Honour Award for International Culture was presented to Musical Circus Productions of Hawaii for their entry '11 Miles To Paradise'.
New Jamaica Film Academy Pioneer inducted
Mrs. Marcia Forbes, Co-Owner and Director of Phase Three Productions, the industry's bedrock in production services, producing and directing local programmes, was inducted as a new Pioneer member of the Jamaica Film Academy. In accepting the presentation from JFA Pioneer Carl Bradshaw, she pledged her commitment to achieving the JFA objectives to support and improve the Jamaican film industry.
International Guests
International Guests of the Reggae Film Festival 2010 included: Director Shizuo 'E.C.' Ishii, Japan; Director Joe Trivigno, Hawaii; Director Jungle George Tait, Canada; Director Don McConnell, USA; Producer/Director Dr. Noel Howell, Antigua; Music Videographer Sugar Cane, USA; Director Wayne G. Saunders, UK
Films Screened
25 films were screened over 4 nightly programmes of features, documentaries, music videos, animation and an afternoon Children's programme. For the first time in its 3 year history, the Reggae Film Festival entries included 10 films by Jamaican film makers who were pleased to have the opportunity to show their work to a public audience. More than 10 Jamaican film makers enjoyed meeting and greeting each other and the overseas guests sharing the ambience and fellowship.
Seminar
The Film Festival Seminar was held on Saturday morning at the Jonkanoo Lounge. The Theme: The Development of the Jamaican Film Industry
Speakers: Barbara Blake Hannah, Executive Director, Jamaica Film Academy; Mrs. Marcia Forbes, CEO, Phase Three Productions; Dr. Michael Barnett, UWI Department of Culture; Kurt Fuller, Director - “Concrete Jungle, Kingston 12'; Dr. Noel Howell, Producer/Director 'Redemption of Paradise'; Dr. Julian Jingles; Jungle George Tait, Director, CANADA; Sugar Cane, Musician and videographer, USA.
Conclusion
The Reggae Film Festival 2010 was a success.
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