Director: Jerome Laperrousaz
From: Jamaica/France/US
Year: 2006 Minutes: 110
Language: English
Genre: Musical Documentary

“Made in Jamaica” is a powerful portrait of the leaders of a Jamaican music movement that has become a worldwide phenomenon. The film tells the story of how artists on a small island nation in the Caribbean of only three million people took their human experience and turned it into songs full of emotions that resonate around the world.” Reggae is Jamaica’s blues: a music of both desperation and hope.

Reggae music sprang into life in the 70’s. It was the first time that a third world country had made its voice heard on such a large scale. Instantly recognizable, the reggae sound is a celebration of life itself. Now a new generation of reggae artists has emerged and its fathers are still in Jamaica.

The Dance Hall, emerging from reggae, is drawing large crowds across the globe. At its origin, the Dance Hall concept is heavily influenced by religious overtones. Like rap music, Dance Hall’s message is powerful and straightforward, with lyrics about sex, violence, and social issues, including much on women’s rights.

The film showcases performances by the best Reggae and Dance Hall artists ever assembled. Made in Jamaica explores the multifaceted reality of Reggae music through interviews with and musical performances by such artists as Capleton, Elephant Man, Bunny Wailer, Toots & the Maytals, Bounty Killer, Gregory Isaacs, Tanya Stephens, Beres Hammond, Third World, Lady Saw, Sly Dunbar & Robbie Shakespeare, Joseph Current, Vybz Kartel, Shiah Coore, Koolant, Alaine, Doc Marshall, Brick & Lace, Blessed and Bogle.

From their native ghetto to international fame, “Made in Jamaica” is the story of the artists who represent the Jamaican Dream.

“If you want to understand what is popular music, its power and its role in a postcolonial society like Jamaica; how the songs are able to do better than any study in sociology, translate the sufferings, the hopes, the dead-ends, the revolts, and the energy of all the people, then it is absolutely necessary to watch Made in Jamaica.”  ~ LE NOUVELLE OBSERVATEUR

The women, their revolts, their devastating humour, their incredible force (the rappers Lady Saw and singer Tanya Stephens, who, in good health return against men and their sexism, both are absolutely amazing) illuminate this film, which takes into account one of the major upheavals of the island, the feminist revolution in the folds of society.