In Village Keeper, Beverly-Jean, a resilient widow drawing strength from her Jamaican roots, navigates a challenging urban landscape - a crowded Lawrence Heights apartment complex in Toronto - after her husband's violent death. Raising teenagers and supported by her mother whose home pulses with reggae and Jamaican vibrations, she embodies the fierce maternal love and deep family bonds cherished within Caribbean culture. Her secret struggle with grief leads to a powerful journey exploring resilience, community support, and healing.
From the islands to the city, Village Keeper celebrates a mother's unbreakable spirit, a family's enduring love.
Jamaica/Canada, 2024, 82 mins, drama in English, Karen Chapman, dir.
“Village Keeperis a film that goes beyond trauma into the story of recovery and connection to joy, setting a new standard in storytelling. Writer-director Karen Chapman has taken a well-worn single mother story to a new level of relevance that is, in a word, outstanding."~ Jeanine T. Abraham, Medium.com
“Karen Chapman’s tender and empathetic Village Keeper... her love for the people in front of her camera evident in every frame.” — Brian Tallerico, RogerEbert.com
“A heartfelt portrait of a family in Toronto’s underprivileged Thorncliff community deals with generational trauma and the insidiousness of grief.” — Collider
“Village Keeper isn’t a film about Black trauma; it’s a celebration of and journey towards Black healing.” — Kevin Bourne, SHIFTER Magazine
“What happens when the caretaker needs the most care? Village Keeper was one of our highlights... and it did not disappoint.” — Stacey Yvonne, Black Girl Nerds
“Chapman’s ability to balance the delicate tightrope of emotions the film walks is aided by the sensational performance by Olunike Adeliyi.” — Courtney Small, Cinema Axis
