“Raizal: The Jamaican Connection” Wins Best Documentary at Conch Shell Int'l Film Festival
Jamaican filmmaker Jamar Cleary earns his fourth award for a documentary uncovering the historical ties between Jamaica and Colombia’s Raizal people
Award-Winning Documentary cops another international honor
Raizal: The Jamaican Connection has been awarded Best Documentary at the Conch Shell International Film Festival (CSIFF), marking the film’s fourth award.
Jamaican filmmaker Jamar Cleary continues to earn international recognition as his short documentary celebrates another milestone, highlighting the Jamaican diaspora’s historical ties to Latin America.
“I am honored to accept this award from the Conch Shell International Film Festival,” said Cleary. “I am happy that the Diaspora’s eyes are open to relatives in Latin America of Jamaican descent, who oftentimes get overlooked.”
The nearly 20-minute film explores the Jamaican roots of the Raizal people, an Afro-Caribbean community on Colombia’s San Andrés island, shedding light on a historical connection largely unknown to many.
The latest achievement follows previous honours at the 21 Islands International Short Film Festival in New York, the Films That Move Festival in Jamaica, and Mexico’s Love, Peace & Freedom Film Festival.
Originally produced as Cleary’s first documentary while studying at the University of the West Indies, the film continues to gain recognition across international festivals.
Cleary is also preparing a follow-up documentary, The Jamaican Connection in Costa Rica, which will explore Jamaican descendants and Afro-Caribbean communities in Costa Rica’s Limón province.
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