Jamaican company secures distribution rights to film on West Indies Cricket Team

LONDON – Kingston based LHM Publishing is the exclusive distributor of the film, 'Fire in Babylon', in the Caribbean.

The film, produced by Cow Boy Productions, charts the 'glorious' supremacy of the West Indies Cricket team throughout the 1970s and 1980s.

Managing Director of LHM Publishers, Dawn Henry and Ben Goldsmith, representing the producers, signed the distribution contract at the Jamaican High Commission, in London, today March 11.

The film will be launched in Kingston on April 12, while the London launch will be on May 10.  The film will also be shown at the prestigious Tribeca Film Festival, which was founded by Oscar winning actor, Robert DeNiro.

Under the distribution contract, LHM Publishers will be able to distribute the film to cinemas and television stations across the West Indies. The company will also have the rights to distribute the DVD as well as the merchandise and books.

Mr. Goldsmith said there has been a lot of interest in the film, which was screened at the London Film Festival last year. "There has been a lot  of  interest in it (the film)," he said.

'Fire in Babylon' also boasts a sound track of music by some of Jamaica’s legendary musicians, including Bob Marley and the Wailers, Gregory Isaacs and Burning Spear.

In the synopsis, 'Fire in Babylon' is described as: "Charting the glorious supremacy of the West Indies cricket team throughout the late 70s and 80s. This film describes how the bat and ball  were more effective than gunfire in the battle against racial injustice and struggle for black rights."

“In a turbulent era of apartheid in South Africa, race-riots in England and civil unrest in the Caribbean, the West Indian cricketers struck a wonderfully defiant blow at the forces of white prejudice worldwide. With Caribbean flair, fearless spirit and a thumping reggae beat, they hijacked the genteel game of the privileged elite and replayed it on their own terms. By dominating at the highest level – longer than any team in the history of sport – their symbolic declaration was clear: people of colour will not be dictated to on a cricket ground or in any other field of life. 'Fire in Babylon' is a story that celebrates the emancipation of a people through the sport of cricket,” it adds.

Vivienne Siva

JIS Information Attaché

Jamaican High Commission