''Kingston Paradise'' is a 2013
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island country in the Caribbean Sea and the West Indies. At , it is the third-largest island—after Cuba and Hispaniola—of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean. Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, west of Hispaniola (the is ...
n feature-length film written and directed by Mary Wells, featuring Jamaican entertainer Christopher 'Johnny' Daley in a leading role.
Synopsis
Life on the streets of
Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston is the Capital (political), capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long spit (landform), sand spit which connects the town of Por ...
is about frantic survival for small-time hustler Rocksy
Christopher Daley, a taxi driver/part-time pimp, and Rosie
Camille Small; a prostitute, his roommate and business investment. They dream of another life with a future. On the peeling walls of their tenement, Rosie prominently places a painting of an exotic beach that gives them both hope and something tangible to cling to.
In order to achieve their goal of leaving Kingston for another life, Rocksy devises a risky plan with his friend Malt (Greggory Nelson), to steal and fence a sports car belonging to a local Lebanese businessman Faris (Paul Shoucair).
When Rosie leaves, Rocksy struggles to manage without her, he becomes even more desperate and he does the unthinkable. Something within him has changed, but does the political environment in Jamaica allow for change?
Production and release
''Kingston Paradise'' is the first feature by the well-noted Jamaican filmmaker Mary Wells
who also produced the film. The film was produced by CaribbeanTalesFlix, along with sales representative California Pictures, who took the title to 2014's
Cannes Film Market
Cannes (, ; , ; ) is a city located on the French Riviera. It is a commune located in the Alpes-Maritimes department, and host city of the annual Cannes Film Festival, Midem, and Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. The city is ...
.
Kingston Paradise had a September 2013 premiere at
Toronto's CaribbeanTales Film Festival, where it won the Audience Award for Best Feature.
The film also won the Festival Programmer's Award for Narrative Feature at the
Pan African Film Festival
Pan African Film Festival (PAFF) is a non-profit corporation in Los Angeles, California, United States, that states its goal is to promote "cultural understanding among peoples of African descent" through exhibiting art and film. It hosts a film ...
in 2014;
[ and Best Diaspora Film at the 2014 ]Africa Movie Academy Awards
The Africa Movie Academy Awards is an annual entertainment award ceremony presented to recognize excellence among African and non-African professionals, who have contributed to the African film industry. The award was founded by Peace Anyiam-Osig ...
.
See also
* List of Jamaican films
References
External links
Official site
Facebook page
{{Africa Movie Academy Award for Best Diaspora Feature
Jamaican drama films
2013 comedy-drama films
2013 directorial debut films
2013 films
Best Diaspora Feature Africa Movie Academy Award winners
Jamaican comedy films
2010s English-language films
English-language comedy-drama films