JAMPRO has partnered with the Jamaica Film and Television Association (JAFTA) to support the production of five Jamaican short films to be shown at the September 2016 Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival (TTFF). The PROPELLA! Initiative aims to support the talent of Jamaican filmmakers, and garner international exposure for Jamaican culture through film.

The five projects, Origins (Kurt Wright and Noelle Kerr), Shock Value (Adrian Lopez), Shoot the Girl (Tony Hendricks and Natalie Thompson), Sugar (Laurie Parker, Sharon Leach, Michelle Serieux), and The Silent Ones (Gregory Lopez and Janet Morrison) were chosen through a blind selection process by JAFTA and JAMPRO, and will receive support which includes training in pitching projects, festival strategy, script consultation, directing for short films and deal-making as well as funding to carry the projects to the North American and Caribbean markets.

Filmmaker Gabrielle Blackwood, President of JAFTA said the PROPELLA! Initiative aims to promote Jamaican filmmakers through the specially curated hour at TTFF.  Blackwood said, “The opportunity will garner international exposure for local filmmakers, whose treatments were chosen in May 2016 when JAFTA issued a call for submissions. This initiative will create further opportunities for funding, distribution and development of our film community and industry and we are proud to have the support of JAMPRO in realizing this venture.”

Film Commissioner, Renee Robinson described JAMPRO’s support of PROPELLA! as part of the Agency’s strategy to support film development through its Script to Screen programme, which would bring projects from the treatment stage to production. Robinson said, “The Script to Screen Program is instrumental in the discovery and cultivation of Jamaica’s top film talent. JAMPRO is therefore thrilled to partner with JAFTA on this initiative that will create opportunities to make films, and we look forward to working closely with JAFTA on bringing the PROPELLA project and Script to Screen to full fruition.”

Ms. Robinson noted that JAMPRO was focused on collaborating with the local film industry to give targeted assistance to filmmakers, “The stakeholders in the Jamaican film industry are a compact group, and it is crucial that we work together to drive growth in this burgeoning sector. We are extremely proud of the collaboration behind PROPELLA!, that has resulted in this very relevant professional development and market access program.”

JAMPRO and JAFTA will be inviting select private sector partners to be aligned with and support this slate of the Top 5 new Jamaican films for 2016-17. For more information on JAFTA, please visit https://jafta.wildapricot.org/.