REGGAE FILM FESTIVAL INSPIRES NEW DOCUMENTARY ON 70’S ROOTS SINGER

Among the positive outcomes of the first Reggae Film Festival is the production of a new documentary on a forgotten 70s Roots Singer by an American film maker who attended the event in February 2008.

Documentary film maker Pepe Urquijo, currently appearing on Discovery Channel as director/teacher at “San Quentin Prison Film School”, the first ever film school behind prison bars, writes on his latest blog entry:

“Last year at this time I was in Jamaica relaxing. Happening also at the same time was the Reggae Film Festival. How could I not go? I saw some great films and met even greater people. One of them was an elderly man by the name of RC Tomlinson who approached me carrying his two hit 45 singles from the 70’s.He told me his desire of a having a number one hit. We exchanged info and within a week my documentary buddy from NY, Eddie Martinez, flew down with a camera and mike gear and it was on. We followed this vintage reggae singer through the streets of Kingston as he shared with us the story of his life. RC’s story is vital to reggae history because he is just one of the multitude of Jamaican artists that have had more talent than opportunities to continue singing.”

The video trailer can be viewed on MySpace at:

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=52950290

Left to right: Jerry Brown, R.C.Tomlinson, Barbara Blaka Hannah, Olivia 'Babsy' Grange, pictured at the Reggae Film Festival 2008

Anyone interested in watching the documentary on the San Quentin Film School which Pepe teaches can see it on The Discovery Chanel 20th and 27th March 2009 aqt 9:00am, if the films get a good response they may show 4 more episodes.

Jamaica Film Academy film screening....

CPTC CEO Angela Patterson (2nd L) with Shirley Hannah, executive assistant, and Fernando Garcia, director – WHY DO JAMAICANS RUN SO FAST; JFA director Barbara Blake Hannah; Perry Cassagnol, director and (front) Isyah Thorb, child star of ‘THE FORGOTTEN FATHER”.

The postponement of the Reggae Film Festival did not prevent the Jamaica Film Academy from screening 5 films by directors who came to Jamaica for the event, as the JFA partnered with Island Village in Ocho Rios and the Creative Production and Training Center (CPTC) in Kingston to screen two programmes on February 21 and 27 of some of the films entered.

The Island Village screening was sponsored by Blackwell Rums whose CEO, Chris Blackwell is a leading Jamaican film producer. In Kingston, the venue was Jamaica’s leading film production and training agency, the CPTC where CEO Angela Patterson hosted a programme of Films From Around The World as part of the monthly screenings held in the main TV studio.

Audience at Island Village, Ocho Rios.

Among the film makers who came to Jamaica at their own expense for the screenings were: Brian ‘Sugar Cane’, director of the short feature ‘THE PIANO TUNER” and the animated music video “MANGO” that received much acclaim at both screenings; Perry Cassagnol, director of the US feature “THE FORGOTTEN FATHER”, who was accompanied by the child star of the film, Isyah Thorb; Mirko Mikjus, director of ‘THE SERBIA STATUE” a documentary about the raising of a Bob Marley statue at his Rock Village in Serbia; and Fernando Garcia, Spanish director of the popular documentary ‘WHY DO JAMAICANS RUN SO FAST?” filmed around the return of Jamaica’s Olympic athletes.

Jamaican films screened in Ocho Rios and Kingston were the short feature “WING” by Tony ‘Paleface’ Henry, and “ROOM FOR RENT” the feature film of Ginger Knight’s popular stage play.

Copies of the films ‘THE SERBIA STATUE” and ‘WHY DO JAMAICANS RUN SO FAST” were presented by the directors to CPTC, for free screenings to Jamaican viewers on the CTV channel and storage in the CPTC film archive. In a statement at the conclusion of the screenings, Jamaica Film Academy director Barbara Blake Hannah announced that the JFA will continue to host monthly film screenings at Island Village and in association with CPTC to expand the work of the JFA and provide opportunities for screening of independent films.