Dominican filmmaker Jade Leatham premieres kweyol-language historical film ‘Rebel & Jango’

Dominica: Dominican director Jade Leatham will be hosting the World Premiere of her short film “Rebel & Jango”, the first fully homegrown Dominican narrative film, in Dominica on October 29.

The film is written by, directed by, produced by and starring Leatham as Rebel, Rebel & Jango is a Caribbean historical drama filmed completely in Dominica. The film tells a lesser known story from Dominica’s post-emancipation history and includes dialogue written in the Dominican Kweyol dialect.

Los Angeles-based actor Isaac B. Ramirez has a leading role, and the cast includes Kalinago actors and local talent. Marica Honychurch and Norris Francois served as directors of photography. The music was written by Leatham alongside Arnaud Chabert du St. Hirst.

The film has been chosen to showcase in three international film festivals and won the Best Actor award

Caribbeanposh shared the update noting, “Dominican filmmaker, actress and producer Jade Leatham is bringing that vision to life with Rebel & Jango, a historical drama short film inspired by Dominica’s post-emancipation history.”

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Leatham grew up in Dominica and was educated there. She is a former CXC History teacher who has won the 2023 Elizabeth Nunez Caribbean American Writers Award.

She has also participated in the Commonwealth Emerging Leaders programme. Leatham noted that Dominica has stories the world has not yet heard.

The premiere, themed “Madras Masquerade,” was planned for the eve of Creole Day during Independence season. The film will include a red carpet event, screening, Q&A with the director and tour of an art exhibition by the Waitukubuli Arts Association.

It will also be streamed live to the Caribbean diaspora.

Creole Collective Productions has plans to create a 5-year roadmap for future projects which includes developing ‘Rebel & Jango’ into full feature films created in Dominica.

They have projects focusing on Kalinago and Maroon culture as well as Caribbean futurism. The company has thanked the Ministry of Tourism and Discover Dominica Authority for supporting the project.

They will also be donating Rebel & Jango colouring books to schools in Dominica.