Dickie Jobson passed away....

Just had some very sad news and heard that Dickie Jobson passed away yesterday on Christmas Eve. He will be remembered by everyone who knew his work, and most will remember him for his great film 'Countryman', he was also preparing to start shooting Countryman 2 in 2009.

"The Jamaica Film Academy had honoured Dickie Jobson at the February 2008 staging of the first Reggae Film Festival and screened his 1970s feature film “Countryman” in one of its rare Jamaican showings. Dickie Jobson was a friend and business associate of film makers Perry Henzell and Chris Blackwell, so it was no surprise when he ventured into film production with the romantic drama “Countryman” – one of the early efforts to continue the progressive move to indigenous feature film production established by “The Harder They Come”. The “Countryman” story of two American tourists cast away on the Hellshire beach where real-life fisherman Countryman lives, and the adventures that follow as police pursue them as suspected drug exporters, was typical of the 70’s era when Jamaica was viewed simply as a tropical paradise with an interesting culture. It’s famous scene when Countryman cooks a several course Jamaican meal on an outdoor fire and the delight the visitors express as they taste each new food surprise, has become a classic.

Like most other Jamaican films of that era, the acclaim for the director’s achievement has only come in modern times, and financial success may never materialize. Dickie Jobson was therefore delighted to be honoured at the Reggae Film Festival earlier this year and to enjoy the company of his film making friends, including his cousin, film maker Wayne Jobson.

As part of the Island Jamaica film and music team, Dickie was associated with every film project of that prolific organization, and assisted many overseas film production companies to interact with Jamaica. The name of Dickie Jobson and his beautiful film “Countryman” will be forever memorialized in the Hall of Fame of the Jamaican film industry. On behalf of the Jamaica Film Academy, and as a personal friend, please allow me to extend honours on his passing."

(Text taken from an article written by Barbara Blake Hannah 25th Dec.2009)