Jamaica Reggae Film Festival

REGGAE FILM FESTIVAL HISTORY

In the decades since 1972 when Jamaica's first feature film "The Harder They Come" exposed reggae to the world on its soundtrack, a growing number of films have continued to be made that focus on Jamaica's music culture. In 2008 these films were given the title "Reggae Films" and gathered together in one place for the first ever REGGAE FILM FESTIVAL, held in New Kingston February 25th-27th.

Organized with the co-sponsorship of private sector companies and the Jamaican Ministry of Culture the REGGAE FILM FESTIVAL 2008 presented 20 films over three nights in Kingston, in the presence of film makers and actors from Jamaica, Spain, Germany, the UK, USA, Canada and Britain who paid their way to attend the event. On closing night six film pioneers were inducted into the Jamaica Film Academy and the Reggae Film Festival was declared a success.

Several of the films shown then and in the three succeeding festivals have received international exposure and distribution as a result of the international media coverage of the REGGAE FILM FESTIVAL, including the German feature film 'ALMOST HEAVEN" ,the reggae documentary "DUB ECHOES" and the sports documentary 'WHY DO JAMAICANS RUN SO FAST?” Feature films “WAH DO DEM” and 'A DANCE FOR GRACE”, each of which won Honour Awards at the 2010 festival, have received national and international distribution, while the documentaries 'FIRE IN BABYLON' and 'BOB MARLEY -MAKING OF A LEGEND' and the animated 'BAD INFLUENCE' were outstanding films of the 2011 Festival.

The REGGAE FILM FESTIVAL goes into its 5th staging in 2012, continuing its popular feature the Make A Film In 24 Hours competition, the Children's programme, the Film Seminar and the honouring of film makers with Awards in several categories.

THANKYOU to all those who have supported us this far....