Healing of the Nation | documentary on ganja as a source of healing premieres Friday in Melkweg

This 𝗙𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗡𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟱, at 𝟳𝗽𝗺, the last 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗴𝗮𝗲 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗰𝘀 of this year will feature the 𝗗𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗵 (and even 𝗘𝘂𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗻!) 𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗲𝗿𝗲 of 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: 𝗚𝗮𝗻𝗷𝗮 𝗶𝗻 𝗝𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗰𝗮 (2022), a documentary exploring the potential of ganja (i.e. cannabis or marijuana) as a source of healing for the Caribbean island nation of Jamaica!

The film will be introduced by 𝗗𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗕𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗺𝗮𝗻, chair of the Union for the abolition of cannabis prohibition (VOC). In addition, we will be showing the two great short films 𝗠𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗜 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜: 𝗔 𝗥𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗮 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 (2020, 3') and 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗧𝘄𝗼 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗲𝗹 (2022, 10') as well as the compelling music video (and basically also a short film) 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 (2021, 5') by reggae artist 𝗞𝗲𝘇𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗱𝗶. All in all, the upcoming 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗴𝗮𝗲 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗰𝘀, the last edition of 2022 in celebration of 𝗝𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗰𝗮 𝟲𝟬, will be all about rural Jamaica and the role of ganja. Of course there will also again be Jamaican snacks from 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗴𝗮𝗲 𝗥𝗶𝘁𝗮 and reggae tunes as soon as you enter the cinema.

Afbeelding

𝗦𝘆𝗻𝗼𝗽𝘀𝗶𝘀 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: 𝗚𝗮𝗻𝗷𝗮 𝗶𝗻 𝗝𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗰𝗮
𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: 𝗚𝗮𝗻𝗷𝗮 𝗶𝗻 𝗝𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗰𝗮 is a documentary directed by Steve and Kim Holmes exploring the potential of ganja (cannabis/marijuana) to be a source of healing for the island nation of Jamaica. This is a story of ganja in a country where it’s been part of the culture for a century and where 'the herb' is part of every day life. 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: 𝗚𝗮𝗻𝗷𝗮 𝗶𝗻 𝗝𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗰𝗮 takes you inside ganja culture with visits to ganja fields and patches, the Stepping High Ganja Festival, a grower’s meeting, and the Trench Town Culture Yard. Hear a cross-section of Jamaican voices, including Rastafarians, ganja farmers, ganja industry supporters, a holistic medicine doctor and a human rights lawyer. Potential benefits of ganja from economic, medical, social and spiritual aspects are considered. 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 is an effort to understand the multiple roles of ganja in Jamaica with focus on how the plant could hold the key to healing a nation.

𝗦𝘆𝗻𝗼𝗽𝘀𝗶𝘀 𝗠𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗜 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜: 𝗔 𝗥𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗮 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆
𝗠𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗜 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜 is a Rasta story set in the hills of Eastern Jamaica. Drawing on the experience of one particular Rasta and merging his story with old footage of Bob Marley, vintage scenes of Jamaica, and the famous speech of Haile Selassie (an Emperor of Ethiopia), this cinematic short film dabbles with a documentary-style to explore what Rasta means as a way of life. It also touches on the Rasta belief surrounding marijuana usage, 'decriminalisation of herb', and the socio-economic state of Jamaica.

𝗦𝘆𝗻𝗼𝗽𝘀𝗶𝘀 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗧𝘄𝗼 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗲𝗹
𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗧𝘄𝗼 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗲𝗹 is an intimate portrait by Ania Freer of a family-owned mechanic shop in rural Jamaica and a father's love for his children and community. Bobo uses minimal resources to provide a medium for mobility and independence and imbues his children with the skills to maintain the craft of bicycle-building.

𝗦𝘆𝗻𝗼𝗽𝘀𝗶𝘀 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲
The 5-minute music video or, better, short film 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 by reggae artist 𝗞𝗲𝘇𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗱𝗶, directed by Ivor Mccray, juxtaposes the injustices faced in the 1960s (the infamous Coral Gardens massacre) by Rastafarians who were regularly imprisoned, beaten, trimmed, exiled and sectioned in Jamaica, to present day Jamaica, showing that this social injustice has been re-awakened.

Tickets | More info & RSVP

𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗴𝗮𝗲 𝗖𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗰𝘀: 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: 𝗚𝗮𝗻𝗷𝗮 𝗶𝗻 𝗝𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗰𝗮
Date: Friday November 25, 2022
Time: 7pm (doors open: 6.30pm)
Location: Melkweg Cinema
Titel: 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: 𝗚𝗮𝗻𝗷𝗮 𝗶𝗻 𝗝𝗮𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗰𝗮
Director: Steve and Kim Holmes
Country: Jamaica  and United States 
Year: 2022
Duration: 59 min
Language: Jamaican English (patois) with English subtitles
Supporting films: 𝗠𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗜 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗜: 𝗔 𝗥𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗮 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 (dir. Clé Hunnigan and Barnabas Kelemen, 2020, 3'), 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗧𝘄𝗼 𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗲𝗹 (dir. Ania Freer, 2022, 10') & 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗲 (Ivor Mccray, 2021, 5')
Tickets: €12,50 (incl. Jamaican goodiebag from 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗴𝗮𝗲 𝗥𝗶𝘁𝗮 and reggae tunes when you enter the cinema)
Extra: introduction by 𝗗𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗕𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗺𝗮𝗻, chair of the Union for the abolition of cannabis prohibition (VOC)
More info: facebook.com/events/917817262516978
Ticket link: bit.ly/reggae-classics-healing-of-the-nation