Jamaica shoots for movie highs

Jamaica is focusing on its film industry for greater economic growth.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness said that the island has the talent, stories, locations and cultural influence needed to build a respected and globally competitive film industry.

“When films are produced locally, the benefits of it is spreads across the economy,” Holness said. He was speaking at the screening of the Jamaican film ‘Love Offside’ in Kingston on Friday.

The romance drama, produced by The Limners and Bards Limited (The LAB) was supported by the Jamaica Screen Development Initiative, which is a billion-dollar fund managed by Jamaica Promotions Corporation (JAMPRO).

Holness said: “Love Offside shows what can happen when Jamaican creatives take up the challenge of building at home. Produced entirely in Jamaica, the film places our country at the centre of the story. It showcases not only our landscapes but also our people, our moves, our language, our relationships and our distinct sense of place. In that sense, Jamaica is part of the story itself.

“Jamaica has long been recognised as a cultural superpower, but we have not always converted that into structured economic opportunity.”

Kimala Bennett, Chief Executive Officer of The LAB, said there is a real opportunity for Jamaica and the Caribbean generally to expand economically.

“Story telling is no longer [just] entertainment. It is one of the most powerful economic engines in the world.”

The said that The Lab has recently launched a YouTube channel, LAB Studio Originals, and the movie ‘Happily Ever Awkward’ generated over 350,000 organic views in under two months, reaching audiences in more than 70 countries and territories, with 85,000 viewers from outside of Jamaica.

She added that ‘Love Offside’ is just one film of many projects at The LAB studios and the company is building a Caribbean content ecosystem that will grow exponentially.