The Reggae Film Festival, in only it’s 3rd year of existence, is already building up steam. This year’s lineup includes reggae film entries from all over the world, ranging from cult classics to world premiers, features and documentaries to short reggae films. An expected highlight of the 2010 Reggae Film Festival is the “Make a Film in 24 Hours” competition.

The 2010 Reggae Film Festival will be held in Jamaica’s Hilton Kingston hotel from February 25th through February 27th.

The Reggae Film Festival will open with a red carpet gala on February 25 for the premier of the Japanese reggae documentary Ruffn’ Tuff – Founders of the Immortal Riddim. The film includes appearances by Leroy Sibbles, Bob Andy, Gregory Isaacs, and John Holt, some of whom may also be in attendance. The screening will be a memorial tribute to recently-deceased rocksteady founder Lynn Tait.

All events will be held in Jamaica’s Hotel Kingston, primarily in the ballroom, which will serve as a cinema for the evening screenings and opening gala. The Hilton Kingston is also offering special deals including discounted rates for a Reggae Film Festival package and daily meals.

The Reggae Film Festival will include full-length films, documentaries, and music videos from both domestic Jamaican directors and international reggae filmmakers. Films from Hawaii, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and Brazil will all be shown, including:

• The 80s cult film Babylon by Franco Rosso.
• Made in Jamaica from French film maker Jerome Lapperousaz.
• The world premiere of Don McConnell’s Reggae in the Ruff.
• A rare documentary of Lee “Scratch” Perry.
• A short film telling the story of Randy’s Records in Kingston, Jamaica, which later moved to the US and became the worlds largest reggae distributor.

Films will be judged in 9 categories, including Best Film, Best Documentary and Best Music Video. A select panel of judges will decide on the winners, with some audience participation expected as well.

Several international film celebrities have been invited to attend, including noted director SPIKE LEE, rapper/actress EVE and

In addition to the films, Jamaican actor Roger Guenevere Smith – who has appeared in 8 Spike Lee films and in American Gangster alongside Denzel Washington – will deliver a lecture on reggae film. Former boxer Lennox Lewis is also expected to attend as he is building his own film career in Jamaica.

2010 Reggae Film Festival Lineup

Many of these films are available as DVDs from www.reggaefilms.co.uk.

Concrete Jungle by Kurt Fuller (2010)

A new Jamaican feature film about a fictional character Singy, from Concrete Jungle, one of the roughest ghetto’s in Jamaica. Singy’s childhood friend’s are some of the most notorius killers of the Bangers Gang. As a youth Singy experienced the outbreak of violence and it’s destructive eruption in the community between the Bangers and the devastated Mafia Gang. Because of the intense love Singy has for Dancehall music he decided to persue his musical career. In doing so Singy was seen as a major enemy through the eyes of the opposing side of the gangs.

Reggae in The Ruff by Don McConnell (2009 world premier)

This isn’t your average Reggae documentary, this one travels deep into Reggae Rasta consciousness and captures the essence of Reggae on film. Through a series of interviews, live musical performances and reasoning with Rasta musicians we get to learn more about the essence of reggae music and begin to understand what reggae means to those who create it”

Rastafari: Then & Now by Joel Gordon & Patricia Scarlett (2009)

Nation Cheong, a Rastafarian community youth worker and African drummer is concerned about youth violence and wonders if the principles and values of Rastafari has something to benefit today’s youth. To find an answer to his question, he gathers a group of Black youth and takes them on a journey of discovery into Toronto’s Rastafarian community. Along the way, he re-connects with some of his elders and also discovers that he has a few unanswered questions about his walk with Rastafari. This leads him to travel to Jamaica, the birthplace of Rastafari, for the very first time.

Duke Vin & The Birth Of SKA by Gus Berger (2008)

London in the 1950’s was a cold place if you were one of the thousands of newly arrived Jamaicans. Discrimination and racial tensions culminated in fierce riots in both Nottingham and Notting Hill Gate. It was in this environment that the Jamaican soundmen; Duke Vin and Count Suckle arrived in the UK. They both stowed away on a boat from Kingston and brought with them a sound that was sweeping across the small Caribbean island and would later change the face of music in the UK. This was the sound of ska! Now in their 70’s, Vego and Vin, both continue to do as they have always done, promoting and pushing Jamaican music. Daddy Vego is still running his record store and plays a vital role in the Ladbroke Grove community with his youth projects and street fairs. Duke Vin is still a deejay, playing on sound systems at the Notting Hill Carnival and to packed clubs such as Gaz’s Rocking Blues in Soho.

Rasta’s Paradise by Parine Jaddo (2008)

Rasta’s Paradise is a documentary about Rastafarians during the 60th Birthday commemoration for Bob Marley in February 2005. It is all shot in Ethiopia starting in the capital Addis Ababa and then travels to Shashamene, the land that was given by Emperor Haile Selassie to Diaspora Africans. Rastafari ways are explained as well as the interconnections between the Diaspora blacks, Africa, origin of the movement, connections to the Jamaican black leader Marcus Garvey, and the reason for repatriation to Ethiopia. With the divinity of His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie a central rallying point amongst the various groups within the Rastafarian family, they all insist on and the need for peace in the human family.

Coping With Babylon by Oliver Hill (2007)

Coping with Babylon explores the Rastafarian experience in the West, following the transformation of the Rastafarian movement into a recognized and popular religion of the world, Set against a backdrop of controversial world affairs, Rastafarians are vocal about their opposition to “the system,” taking action according to their interpretation of the Bible, the teachings of Marcus Garvey, and the example of Haile Selassie I. This documentary features interviews with Rastafarian leaders including Ascento Fox, Barry Chevannes, Prince Emanuel and recording artists Mutabaruka, Luciano, Morgan Heritage, Freddie McGregor, Elephant Man, and Beenie Man.

The Story of Randy’s by Christopher & Clive Chin (2007)

Randy’s Record Mart was founded in 1958 by Vincent & Patricia Chin. Their retail enterprise went on to become VP Records; the world’s largest reggae distributor & record label. This film tells the story of the Kingston, JA record shop and it’s ascension to one of Jamaica’s leading recording studios (known as Studio 17) in the earliest days of reggae music. The Story Of Randy’s is a documentary about the Chin Family and the golden age of the mythic Randy’s Studio. This film features some rare archive footage and interviews with legendary artists like Lord Creator, Ken Boothe, Stranger Cole, Derrick Harriott, Niney The Observer, Johnny Dizzy Moore, Jah Stitch, Big Youth, Sly Dunbar, Earl Morgan from The Heptones, and Pat Kelly.

Ruff’N Tuff: Founders Of The Immortal Riddim by Shizuo Ishi (2006)

This Japanese reggae documentary features Gladstone “Glady” Anderson, Lynn Taitt, U-Roy, Alton Ellis, Bob Andy, Stranger Cole, Shiburusu Leroy, Johnny Moore, John Holt, Gregory Isaacs, King Tubby, Carlton Manning, Stephen Stanley, Yellow Man, Cleveland “Kurivi” Brownies, Takatsu Yoshinao, and others.

Destination Jamaica AKA Rastafarian Dreams by George Tait AKA Jungle George (2004)

Destination Jamaica takes us on a journey back to the 1980’s when George left his home in Woodstock, Canada on the journey of a lifetime and fortunately for us he documented his journey on one of the first ever handheld camcorders available to the general public. George ended up staying in Jamaica for almost 20 years. The film takes us to the remote area of South Broughton, George documents his experiences while living with a local Rasta family ‘The Sommervilles’ to whom he later became lifelong friends.

Road Through The Blue Mountains by Barbara Blake Hannah (2002)

The Road Through The Blue Mountains, is both a figurative and literal route – one which exposes some of the purest locales in Jamaica, its natural history and culture. It is an almost spiritual excursion, in many ways the story of Blake Hannah’s experience living in the mountains, but also the story of the mountains, their residents and future.

Rastafari by James Ewart (2001)

A about Rastafari, featuring: Omaal Wright, Barry Shevannes, Yassus Afari, Barbara Blake-Hannah, Dawn White, Mortimo Planno, Mikey Beard, Ray Smith, Shakes Shankai. The Rastafari movement was founded upon the belief that the 1932 coronation of Haile Sellassie I of Ethiopia marked the second coming of Christ, a perception bolstered by the writings of Marcus Garvey. Present-day adherents in Kingston, Jamaica discuss its spiritual meaning as well the religious significance of reggae music, marijuana use and dreadlocks.

Kids Paradise by Barbara Blake Hannah (1996)

Kids Paradise is a childrens adventure made by Barbara Blake Hannah in 1996. This screening is ‘Shasta Runs Away’ – a stressed young fashion model runs away from the hotel where she is to perform, and her brothers get help from some boys to find her. As a reward the brothers invite the boys to stay at their home in Negril, where they have another crime-solving adventure.

Rastafarians of Jamaica by Aran Patinkin (1995)

Jamaican Rastas believe themselves to be the only authentic carriers of the Hebrew spirit and the Jewish destiny. Like the Jews, they felt the bitterness of exile, they suffered the terrible effects of racial prejudice and cultural alienation and they, too, yearn to return to their Zion – Ethiopia. They also have a messiah, the Emperor Haile Selassie, whom they believe to be a direct descendant of the holy union between King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba. The film displays the unique Rasta rituals where they elevate themselves towards the divine with the help of reggae music and marijuana.

Journey Of The Lion by Fritz Baumann (1992)

Life in Jamaica for the Rastafrian Howard A. Trott and his children Irey and Makeba is a day-to-day struggle for survival. His only real hope of his faith in repatriation to Africa, the home of his forefathers, the “Land of the Lions”. Brother Howie has never left Jamaica. And then one day he suddenly receives a letter from his sister in London who he has not seen for thirty years. Her invitation entices him to commence a 6-month journey. The filmteam accompanied Brother Howie for half a year across three continents and documented his encounter with the land of his dreams: Africa.

Babylon by Franco Rosso (1981)

Babylon is a gritty, neorealist account of the lives of a group of West Indian youths living in London. Unlike most films about reggae music and culture, Babylon doesn’t explore the sunny side of Jamaican life or West Indian gangland culture; instead, it looks at how the implicit radicalism of reggae mirrored political and social concerns in the urban areas outside Jamaica where the music was so enthusiastically embraced.

About Jamaica’s 2010 Reggae Film Festival

The Jamaica Film Academy founded the Reggae Film Festival in 2008. The 2010 Reggae Film Festival is produced by a Planning Committee led by film maker and film festival organizer Barbara Blake Hannah. She said that since the first Reggae Film Festival in 2008, there have been many spinoffs, with festival films being invited to international events and winning awards, but these all have served to achieve the Jamaica Film Academy’s main objective: to promote Jamaican film culture and increase opportunities for Jamaican film makers.

Blake-Hannah, who presented Jamaica’s first film festival in 1974 and has produced several more since, has been a guest of international film festivals in Venice, Cuba, Iraq, and Cannes. She is also producer/director of several films and worked on film productions including “The Harder They Come”, “A High Wind in Jamaica” and “Kla$h”. She and British film archivist Peter Gittins of Reggae Films UK conceptualized the first Reggae Film Festival in 2007 as a special event with private sector support. Mrs. Hannah continued developing the idea while working as Consultant to the Minister of Information, Culture, Youth & Sports on various projects including the planning and procedures for the first Reggae Month in 2008, into which the Reggae Film Festival was eventually incorporated with some government support.

The Jamaica Film Academy’s aim is to see the Reggae Film Festival become an annual date in Jamaica’s events calendar that will provide Jamaican films with the needed international exposure that they deserve. Four different films have been made as a direct result of its first event in 2008 and two films premiered at the Reggae Film Festival 2009 have won international awards, evidence of just how important this event is.

The Jamaica Film Academy invites members of the Jamaican film industry and local businesses to help the Reggae Film Festival grow bigger and better. Further information on the REGGAE FILM FESTIVAL 2010 @ HILTON KINGSTON can be had at the official Reggae Film Festival website at www.jamaicafilmacademy.org.

The organizers are interested in hearing from anyone who would like to support or collaborate with the Reggae Film Festival. If this sounds like you, get in touch with them via their website at www.reggaefilmfestival.com. You can also contact jamediapro@hotmail.com
for more information.

Travel to Jamaica’s 2010 Reggae Film Festival

Every evening of the 2010 Reggae Film Festival promises sightings of famous reggae stars, film makers, and directors on the Hilton Kingston’s red carpet. Every evening’s screening will be followed by after parties featuring homegrown reggae, ska, dancehall, and rockers.

The Hilton Kingston in Jamaica is offering the following special packages of room and board for travelers interested in attending the 2010 Reggae Film Festival in Kingston, Jamaica.

For reservations for the Reggae Film festival, email info@jamaicafilmacademy.org or call the HILTON-KINGSTON Hotel at 876-926-5430.

Room Only (w. Continental Breakfast)

• Garden Room – US$85.00 per person, p .n.
• Tower Room – US$105.00 per person, p.n.
• Executive Club – US$165.00 per person, p.n.

Reggae Film Festival Package A:

• Garden Room – US$350 (Single) US$380 (Double)
• Tower Room – US$410 (Single) $460

Includes:

• 4 Days/3 Nights Accommodations as Selected
• Breakfast Daily
• Access to 3 Film Festival Screenings
• 2 Lunchtime Film Programmes
• VIP Invitation to Official Welcome Party & Opening Night Reception, Awards Presentation
• 2 VIP Passes to all Reggae Film Festival After Parties
• Day Tour to: Port Royal, Bob Marley Museum, or Blue Mountains (Picnic Basket by request)
• Optional Airport Meet and Greet and Private Car Transfers to and from the Airport
• Expert Travel & Concierge Services of the HILTON KINGSTON At-Your-Service Desk™

Reggae Film Festival Package B:

• Garden Room – US$280 (Single) US$330 (Double)
• Tower Room – US$320 (Single); US$370 (Double)

Includes:

• 3 Days/2 Nights Accommodations as Selected
• Breakfast Daily
• Access to 2 Film Festival Screenings, 1 Lunchtime Film Programme
• VIP Invitation to Opening Night Reception, Awards Presentation
• 2 VIP Passes to all Reggae Film Festival After Parties
• Day Tour to: Bob Marley Museum, Blue Mountains (Picnic Basket by request)
• Optional Airport Meet and Greet and Private Car Transfers to and from the Airport
• Expert Travel & Concierge Services of the HILTON KINGSTON At-Your-Service Desk™

Reggae Film Festival Package C:

• Garden Room – US$120 (Single); US$150 (Double)
• Tower Room – US$150 (Single) US$175 (Double)
• Executive Club – US$ 210 (Single) US$220 (Double)

Includes:

• Overnight Accommodation – 1 Night
• Continental Breakfast
• Access to 1 Film Festival Screening, 1 Lunchtime Film Programme
• VIP Invitation to Opening Night Reception or Awards Presentation (as per night selected)
• 2 VIP Passes to Reggae Film Festival Opening Reception/ After Party/Awards Presentation
• Optional Airport Meet and Greet and Private Car Transfer to and from the Airport
• Expert Travel & Concierge Services of the HILTON KINGSTON At-Your-Service Desk™

The Hilton is also offering the following add-ons and possible options for attendees of the 2010 Reggae Film Festival:

• Extra Nights
• Room Upgrades
• Reduced price for additional Ticket
• Additional Tours
• Daily Car & Driver Rental

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