Prime Minister, Andrew Holness is excited to have visited the set

Delroy Lindo’s Jabari’s People, a Jamaican-set family drama that marks Lindo’s directorial debut, has wrapped production in Kingston.

This comes after a 22-day shoot, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Written by Daoud Abeid and Dakhil Hausif, Jabari’s People follows Jabari, a gifted but defiant Brooklyn teenager, who is sent to live with his estranged grandparents in Jamaica’s Blue Mountains after the sudden death of his mother.

The inter-generational drama moves between Brooklyn and Jamaica, exploring family, grief and identity. For Lindo, the project carries a personal connection to Jamaica. The 73-year-old actor was born in London to Jamaican parents whose family has roots in Ocho Rios, St Ann, and has spent years looking for an opportunity to contribute to the country’s creative industry.

Idea for the film came in 2015

The screenplay first came to Lindo in 2015, but it took more than a decade for the project to reach production. The production also placed a strong emphasis on Jamaican talent, with local actors and crew members working on the film.

Lindo has praised the depth of talent on the island and encouraged greater investment in Jamaica’s film industry. Lindo has also made the involvement of Jamaican talent a priority. The production employed Jamaican cast and crew members, with the actor-director using the project to highlight the depth of talent available on the island.

Jamaican-Canadian costume designer, Antoinette Messam, whose credits include The Harder They Fall, Creed and The Book of Clarence, also worked on the production. She said keeping production spending in Jamaica could help strengthen the wider film ecosystem by creating opportunities for local actors, hair and makeup professionals, vendors and other businesses.

Prime Minister Holness visited the set

Prime Minister Andrew Holness also visited the set, where he met Lindo and other cast and crew members. 

In a social media post, Holness wrote: “Jamaica has long drawn filmmakers with its landscapes and stories. Our actors, writers, crew, culture and music help shape what audiences see and hear. That Jamaican presence is evident in Jabari’s People, with local cast and production talent contributing to a story that brings the Blue Mountains and the people who call them home to the screen.”

Lindo, who recently received his first Academy Award nomination for his performance in Ryan Coogler’s Sinners, said he has had several “pinch me” moments while watching the cast bring the screenplay to life.

Jabari’s People is Lindo’s first feature as a director and was filmed on location in Jamaica.