A press conference held at Jamaica Promotion Corporation in Kingston on 15th August 2012 unveiled the introductory project 'Ring Di Alarm' of independent film makers, New Caribbean Cinema. New Caribbean Cinema is a collective group of young innovative film makers who are passionate about their craft and so lend their different talents in a communal way to optimize the production quality of each individual's work- with no reliance on external funding. Currently there are 6 members including founders Storm Saulter, mastermind behind award winning Jamaican film 'Better Mus Come' and St. Lucian born producer, director & actress Michelle Serieux.
Through their guerrilla filmmaking, that is, producing films by any means possible, they have been able to create their first representation of how effective partnership can be, to which Saulter noted, "Film making is a collaborative effort even when its not done in this communal way…….This formula could really be a key to how independent cinema in the Caribbean is going to really clutch and is really going to take off because we are using methods that are applicable to our environment."
"Now we have seven extremely strong short stories that are all connected because they are the point of view of young Caribbean people" stated Saulter during the press conference. The group has managed to compile 7 short films into one feature, all of which are centered about the issue of morality. Even though they were all shot in Jamaica in some way they tell a story that Caribbean people can identify with.
At the forefront of their objectives is attaining massive exposure for each director as well as the actors and crew behind each film which will in turn open doors for emerging film makers in the Caribbean. Creative Industries Senior Consultant at JAMPRO, Gillian McDaniel highlighted that the group's project was representative of the new generation of filmmakers in the region who are telling new stories about our Caribbean people to the rest of the world.
An enthused Serieux described their London premier as an 'ideological coup', riding on the wave of Jamaica's 50th anniversary celebrations in London and the coinciding victory of the Jamaican athletes at the 2012 London Olympic Games. The film makers have thence planned an entire celebratory weekend dubbed "Jamaica We Love You". The festivities commence on Saturday, September 1st with the first screening of Saulter's 'Better Mus Come' at the prestigious British Film Institute's Southbank theatre. There will also be a question and answer segment with the film makers and a cocktail reception following the film. On the Sunday, 2nd September 2012 is the premiere of Ring Di Alarm also at Southbank cinema.
There after the film will be making several rounds including Trinidad Film Festival, Nottingham New Art Exchange (October), and possibly Cuba and New York before finally coming to Jamaica during the Christmas season.
Those in attendance at the press conference were given the privilege to preview one of the featured short film, a comedy entitled 'Parish Bull' by Michael 'Ras Tingle' Tingling. The other shorts are 'Missed' by Michelle Serieux, 'My Vote' by Joel Burke, 'Coast' and 'The Young Sea' by Niles Saulter, 'Sunday' by Kyle Chin and 'Watching Him Kissing Her' by Storm Saulter. As acknowledged by renowned Jamaican musician Seretse Small who also scored the Ring Di Alarm production, "this is a legacy project". New Caribbean Cinema has embarked on a ground breaking endeavor in the world of filmmaking that shall surely impact the Caribbean at large.
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