Rise Up documentary screenings.....

The new documentary 'Rise Up' which we have mentioned a couple of times in the past is now finnished and screening at various film festivals.











Here are a couple of screenings coming up next month (aug):

Sunday 9th August 2009 - Cyprus
Lemesos Docs Documentary Film Festival 9pm @ B'Municipal Market.
For Tickets and more info visit: http://www.filmfestival.com.cy/

August 14th - 15th - 16th, Miami
Adrienne Arsht Center for the performing Arts of Miami - Dade County.
Fri. 14th Aug. 8pm
Sat. 15th Aug. 10:45pm
Sun. 16th Aug. 7pm
For more info visit: http://www.arshtcenter.org/

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Rise Up has also recently won the Music Documentary Award at AFI/Discovery's prestigious SILVERDOCS festival in Washington, DC! Luciano was honored to accept a beautiful Les Paul Studio as the award, presented by Gibson Guitars.
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About Rise Up:
Thinking of Jamaica usually conjures up an image of peace-loving Rastafarians with thick dreadlocks surrounded by even thicker clouds of hash smoke who play reggae tunes and sing the praises of Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie.

Luciano Blotta's self-conscious documentary Rise Up provides ample support of that cliché, but he simultaneously shows that behind the clever export product that reggae has become, a world of poverty and underdevelopment is lurking. In the minds of many young Jamaicans, the only way out is a career in music, but the competition is overwhelming, so everyone tries to display their talent wherever and whenever they can.

Blotta follows three young people who are trying to rise up from the underground: there's the shy Kemoy, who sings beautiful R&B-like songs; the white Ice, whose biggest dream is to perform at the famous Reggae Sumfest; and the charismatic Turbulence, who almost ended up living a life of crime before he thought better of it.

These days, Turbulence's goal is to "Eat good food, have good life, make music." Blotta interweaves the three storylines with lots of music (watch out for the guy with the one-stringed guitar), atmospheric shots of the city and country, and the commentary, which is spoken in juicy Jamaican English by a trio of experts from the music world. Sly and Robbie stop by, as well as the legendary Lee Perry, to say that Kemoy has a lot of talent. But apparently talent alone isn't enough not by a long shot.

Producers synopsis
RiseUp is a journey into the heart of Jamaica - the island that gave birth to the worldwide cultural phenomenon of Reggae. In a society 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, RiseUp follows artists in the dangerous streets, back alleys and crowded dancehalls of Kingston and the countryside. These artists demonstrate the raw power of hope and courage in a land which is largely unseen, but certainly not unsung.