Sundays Screening and Music: The Jamaican Way

15, 22 and 29 Jun 2014, 4 – 11 pm
Chez Xuan

From the organizer:

3 Sundays of celebration of the Jamaican culture of music, sound system and film.

During the Sunday afternoon you’re welcome to enjoy some of the finest selections of the Jamaican Music. Then when the Sun goes down, you will be fully invited to watch a movie talking about influence of 70’s in the Jamaican society, reggae culture, rise of Rastafarism or about the UK side of the Jamaican diaspora in England in the 1980.

Film screenings (starting from around 8 pm)

15/06/20014: The Harder They Come (JA-1973)
The Harder They Come is a 1973 Jamaican crime film directed by Perry Henzell and co-written by Trevor D. Rhone, and starring Jimmy Cliff.The film is most famous for its reggae soundtrack, which is said to have “brought reggae to the world”.
Enormously successful in Jamaica, the film also reached international market and has been described as “possibly the most influential of Jamaican films and one of the most important films from the Caribbean”

22/06/2014: Rockers (JA-1978)
Rockers is a 1978 Jamaican film by Theodoros Bafaloukos. Several popular reggae artists star in the movie, including Leroy “Horsemouth” Wallace, Burning Spear, Gregory Isaacs, Big Youth, Dillinger, and Jacob Miller.
Rockers was originally intended to be a documentary but blossomed into a full-length feature showing the reggae culture at its peak.
In this film, the culture, characters and mannerisms are authentic. The main rocker Leroy “Horsemouth” Wallace, for example, is shown living with his actual wife and kids and in his own home. The recording studios shown are the famous Harry J Studios where many roots reggae artists recorded during the 1970s including Bob Marley. The film includes Kiddus I’s recording of “Graduation In Zion” at the studio, which he happened to be recording when Bafaloukos visited the studio.

29/06/2014: Babylon (UK-1980)
Babylon is a 1980 film co-written by Martin Stellman (writer of Quadrophenia) and Franco Rosso, who also directed it. Produced by Gavrik Losey Diversity Music, National Film Finance Corporation, Chrysalis Group and Lee Electric (Lighting), the film is regarded as a classic.
It depicts the struggles of a Black British working-class musician and stars Brinsley Forde of the reggae band Aswad. It also starred Karl Howman and Trevor Laird. Music was scored by Dennis Bovell. Included are songs by Aswad, Johnny Clarke, and Jeff Wayne, among others.
Babylon was filmed on the streets of Deptford and Brixton, London. The story revolves around racism from police and thugs, violence against blacks, poverty and disillusion and lack of opportunities.

Free entry.