Idris Elba featured in New York Times

Idris Elba talks to the New York Time's Dan Kois about his new movie The Losers, as well as his BBC Series Luther set to air next spring. He also talks about past works such as Obsessed and The Wire.

Photo source

Click HERE to read the interview.

Academy Award-winning documentary "The Cove" highlights The Nature Isle!

“THE COVE” won the 2010 Academy Award for best documentary and follows an elite team of activists, filmmakers and freedivers as they embark on a covert mission to penetrate a remote and hidden cove in Taiji, Japan, shining a light on a dark and deadly secret.





THE COVE featured Dominica which is commonly known as "The Nature Island" because of its efforts in protecting the oceans and its inhabitants.

Dominica promotes nature tourism and whale and dolphin watching are a intrinsic part of tour packages.

Environmentalist, Atherton Martin believes this comes at an opportune time as Dominica will again be called to vote for or against matters of preservation and conservation.

THE COVE premiered in Dominica at the University of The West Indies and was shown free of charge to the public on March 11th at Harlem Plaza.

Source

Why Did I Get Married Too was shot in Bahamas...see trailer

Some scenes from Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married Too were shot in The Bahamas. Can't wait to see part Too. looks even better than the first!





Tyler Perry speaking at press conference in Bahamas

Events: Judah Tribe to perform at NY premier of Rise Up

ImageNation Cinema Foundation and the Film Society at Lincoln Center present the New York premiere of Rise Up, a journey into the heart of Jamaica, where talent abounds and opportunity is scarce. Three distinct and courageous artists fight to rise up from obscurity and write themselves into the pages of history. With music and appearances by legends Lee “Scratch” Perry, Sly Dunbar and Robbie Shakespeare, and a slew of soon-to-be superstars, including Turbulence, RiseUp follows artists in the streets, back alleys and crowded dancehalls of the cities as well as the countryside. These artists demonstrate the raw power of hope and courage in a land which is largely unseen, but certainly not unsung



Click HERE for ticket and more info!

Make a Film In 24 Hours - Competiton begins Monday, Feb 22

The MAKE A FILM IN 24 HOURS competition of the Reggae Film Festival 2010 begins Monday, February 24 at 8:30 a.m. when Registration will commence at the Hilton Kingston Hotel. The competition invites Jamaica-based film makers -- professionals or amateurs -- to use film, video or cell phone cameras to make a 5 minute film in 24 hours, beginning on Monday and finishing on Tuesday morning, February 23.



The competition will be moderated by film and TV director Rick Elgood, ('Me an Mi Krew'). Entries will be shown during the REGGAE FILM FESTIVAL 2010 and prizes will be awarded.

All production in the 24 Hours Film Competition must take place in 24 hours only. To ensure that no pre-filming takes place before the competition begins, entrants will be informed one hour before the competition starts of a Theme and/or Element that must be incorporated in their film.

Films must be 5 minutes long, submitted in mini-DV, DVD or DATA-mpeg and contain no explicit sexual, violent or illegal images. Ten films will be selected for final awards using a judging criteria of 25% for Story, 40% for Directing, Editing and Cinematography, 20% for Production Values and 15% for Acting/Presenter.

Films will be shown at the Reggae Film Festival on each night's programme and become part of the travelling showcase 'The Best of the Reggae Film Festival' to be presented in Montego Bay, Miami and California. Winning film makers will receive 50% of net proceeds of any sales for internet streaming, pay-per-view broadcast or as part of a DVD collection put on sale by the Jamaica Film Academy.

Reggae Film Festival on FaceBook (click)

New Tom Cruise movie earns Jamaica $135M

The recent filming of the movie 'Knight and Day' starring Hollywood megastars Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz, in Jamaica has reportedly earned the island a whopping J$135 million.

Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz on the set of Knight and Day

According to the Jamaica Star:

Knight and Day which was previously known as Witchita, is produced by 20th Century Fox and co-stars Paul Dano, Peter Sarsgaard, Viola Davis, Olivier Martinez, Maggie Grace and Mark Blucas and directed by James Mangold. According to a release sent to THE STAR from the Ministry of Industry, Investment & Commerce, Jamaica earned some J$135-M in investments from the just-concluded film.

Pivotal sections of the motion picture were shot at Frenchman's Cove in Portland between February 1 - 5, with a film crew of some 200 local and foreign persons. The film was also shot in Boston, Spain and Austria.

attracting high-impact film

Making the announcement at a press conference yesterday morning, Minister of Industry, Investment & Commerce Karl Samuda said the five-day production was facilitated by Jamaica Trade and Invest, formerly JAMPRO, as part of its mandate to attract high-impact film investments and affirm Jamaica's position as a premier filming destination.

Minister Samuda said he was particularly happy that 20th Century Fox had chosen Jamaica for this segment of the movie, as the investment underlines the value of this type of industry to the country. Jamaica Trade and Invest's facilitation of the film project included scouting locations, facilitating waivers and approvals, as well as VIP clearance. The film crew left the island on Saturday.

The film is tentatively scheduled for release in July of this year. According to www.loadedgunboston.com, Knight and Day follows Cruise as a secret agent who pops in and out of the life of a single woman played by Diaz. It will mark the first time Tom Cruise and Cameron Diaz have starred together on-screen since the 2001 film Vanilla Sky.

Source


Please note 135 million Jamaican dollars is around 1.5 million USD

41st NAACP Image Awards Nominees are out: who's got island blood?

The 41st NAACP Image Awards were announced on January 6th at a press conference at the SLS Hotel at Beverly Hills.

Over 1,200 entries were received this year. From those entries, a special committee of 300 industry professionals and NAACP leaders from across the country selected five nominees in each of the 53 categories.

So lets see which Caribbean talents made the list

TELEVISION CATEGORIES

Outstanding Actor in a Comedy Series
Daryl “Chill” Mitchell – “Brothers” (FOX)
Donald Faison – “Scrubs” (NBC)
Dulé Hill – “Psych” (USA Network) ---JAMAICA
LaVan Davis – “Tyler Perry’s House of Payne” (TBS)
Tyler James Williams – “Everybody Hates Chris” (CW)

Dule Hill from "Psych"

Photo source

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Corey Reynolds – “The Closer” (TNT)
Delroy Lindo – “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” (NBC)---JAMAICA
James Pickens, Jr. – “Grey’s Anatomy” (ABC)
Mekhi Phifer – “Lie To Me” (FOX)
Rocky Carroll – “NCIS” (CBS)

Outstanding Actress in a Television Movie, Mini-Series or Dramatic Special
Aunjanue Ellis – “Gifted Hands” (TNT)
Cicely Tyson – “Relative Stranger” (Hallmark)---ST. KITTS NEVIS
Kimberly Elise – “Gifted Hands” (TNT)
Rosie O’Donnell – “America” (Lifetime)
Ruby Dee – “America” (Lifetime)

Outstanding Actress in a Daytime Drama Series
Daphne Duplaix – “One Life to Live” (ABC)
Debbi Morgan – “All My Children” (ABC)
Eva Marcelle – “The Young and the Restless” (CBS)
Tatyana Ali – “The Young and The Restless” (CBS)---PANAMA/TRINIDAD & TOBAGO
Tonya Lee Williams – “The Young and the Restless” (CBS)---JAMAICA

RECORDING CATEGORIES

Outstanding New Artist
Jeremih (Def Jam)
Keri Hilson (Mosley Music Group/Zone 4 Inc/Interscope Records)
K’Jon (Universal Republic Records)
Kristinia DeBarge (Def Jam)
Melanie Fiona (SRC/Universal/Motown)---GUYANA

Outstanding Male Artist
Anthony Hamilton (SoSo Def/Jive Records)
Charlie Wilson (Jive Label Group)
Jay-Z (Atlantic Records)
Maxwell (Columbia Records)---HAITI/PUERTO RICO
Ne-Yo (Def Jam)

Outstanding Female Artist
Alicia Keys (Columbia Records)---JAMAICA
India.Arie (Universal Republic Records)
Mary J. Blige (Matriarch/Geffen)
Rihanna (Def Jam)---BARBADOS
Whitney Houston (Artista Records)

Rihanna who is nominated for Outstanding Female Artist

Photo source

Outstanding Duo, Group or Collaboration
3 Mo’ Divas (MariMo’ Music Inc.)
The Black Eyed Peas (Interscope Records)
Day26 (Bad Boy Records)
Jay-Z ft. Alicia Keys (Atlantic Records)---JAMAICA
Jay-Z ft. Rihanna & Kanye West (Atlantic Records)---BARBADOS

Columbia Recording artist Maxwell

Photo source

Outstanding Music Video
“Blame It” – Jamie Foxx ft. T-Pain (J Records/MBK Entertainment)
“Boom Boom Pow” – The Black Eyed Peas (Interscope Records)
“I Look To You” – Whitney Houston (Arista)
“Pretty Wings” – Maxwell (Columbia Records)---HAITI/PUERTO RICO

“Try Sleeping With A Broken Heart” – Alicia Keys (J Records/MBK Entertainment)---JAMAICA

Outstanding Song
“Bad Habits” – Maxwell (Columbia Records)---HAITI PUERTO RICO
“Blame It” – Jamie Foxx ft. T-Pain (J Records/MBK Entertainment)
“Empire State of Mind” – Jay-Z ft. Alicia Keys (Atlantic Records)---JAMAICA
“God In Me” – Mary Mary (Columbia Records)
“Pretty Wings” – Maxwell (Columbia Records)---HAITI/PUERTO RICO (YES TWICE IN THE SAME CATEGORY)

Outstanding Album
“The Blueprint 3” – Jay-Z (Atlantic Records)
“BLACKsummers’night” – Maxwell (Columbia Records)---HAITI/PUERTO RICO
“The Element of Freedom” – Alicia Keys (J Records/MBK Entertainment)---JAMAICA
“Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel” – Mariah Carey (Def Jam)
“Stronger With Each Tear” – Mary J. Blige (Matriarch/Geffen)

MOTION PICTURE CATEGORIES

Outstanding Actor in a Motion Picture
Denzel Washington – “The Taking of Pelham 123” (Columbia Pictures)
Idris Elba – “Obsessed” (Screen Gems)---JAMAICA
Jamie Foxx – “Law Abiding Citizen” (Overture Films)
Morgan Freeman – “Invictus” (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Quinton Aaron – “The Blind Side” (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture
Adam Rodriguez – “Tyler Perry’s I Can Do Bad All By Myself” (Lionsgate)---CUBA/PUERTO RICO
Anthony Mackie – “The Hurt Locker” (Summit Entertainment) (He plays the role of a Rasta in the upcoming movie Babylon-Can't wait to see if he pulls off the accent)

Chiwetel Ejiofor – “2012” (Columbia Pictures)
Danny Glover – “2012” (Columbia Pictures)
Lenny Kravitz – “Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire” (Lionsgate)---THE BAHAMAS

Lenny Kravitz as Nurse John in the movie "Precious"
Photo source


Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture
Alfre Woodard – “American Violet” (Universal Pictures)
Mariah Carey – “Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire” (Lionsgate)
Mo’Nique – “Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire” (Lionsgate)
Paula Patton – “Precious: Based on the Novel “Push” by Sapphire” (Lionsgate)---JAMAICA
Zoe Saldana – “Avatar” (Paramount Pictures)---DOMINICAN REPUBLIC/PUERTO RICO




To see all the nominees click HERE.

The awards ceremony will air from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Friday Feb. 26th, at 8PM/7C on FOX.