Durrant Pate/Contributor

The Black River Film Festival 2025 wrapped up its dynamic two-day programme with British filmmaker Sofian Francis dominating the awards, taking home five honours for his short film ‘Dante’s Inferno – The Ascension‘. 

The festival successfully achieved its mission of facilitating co-productions and film distribution opportunities for local and international filmmakers, producers, and creatives last Friday and Saturday, June 27–28, at Cloggy’s on the Beach in the St Elizabeth capital.

Audiences were captivated by the gripping and visually striking ‘Dante’s Inferno – The Ascension‘, starring Francis, who also featured on-screen as actor and stuntman.

The film earned the most accolades of the night, winning ‘Best Sound’, ‘Best Editing’, ‘Best Cinematography’, ‘Best Narrative Short’, and ‘Best Director’.

Other notable awardees included ‘Philosophy of a Jamaican Landscape Photographer‘, which won best documentary; ‘Village Keeper‘, awarded best feature-length narrative; Sherando Ferril, who earned best actress for her role in ‘Sweet Rind‘; Oliver Samuels, who received best actor in ‘Sugar Dumplin‘, as well as the Lifetime Achievement Award for his outstanding contribution to the Jamaican cultural and creative industry.

‘Sugar Dumplin‘ took home best story and best Jamaican film; social media comic Evy Royal was honoured with the Best Cultural Icon Award; and Renee Williams and Kaleb D’Aguilar, who received the Spirit of the Festival Award for their film, ‘Just Like Mommy‘.

Distinguished lineup of guest speakers 

Festival-goers were also inspired by a distinguished lineup of guest speakers and panel discussions exploring topics such as What Makes Good Content, Co-Production Opportunities, the Future of the Jamaican Film Industry, International Partnerships, Sustainable Growth, and Global Film Distribution. 

Among this year’s special guests and speakers were Jackie Jackson (Jamaica’s Film Commissioner), Kevin Jackson (senior consulting officer at JAMPRO); producers Dian De La Haye and Saeed Thomas; director, Mykal Cushnie; WIFTJA president, Stephanie Hazle Lyle; multi-media journalist, True Daley; Scottish Journalist, Raj Gill; Netflix series producer, Samad Davis and Cédric Pierre-Louis of Canal+ International.

Reflection on this year’s festival 

Reflecting on the film’s success, Sofian Francis shared, “It was met with cheers, tears, laughter, applause, people sitting on the edges of their seats and jumping out of their skin! It felt incredible to watch an audience who knew nothing about Dante’s react to this very ambitious film, the combination of the audience reaction, industry recognition.”

MP and Cabinet minister Green praised the festival’s impact, saying, “an exceptional event and this second staging showed significant growth. Thanks to the CHASE Fund and the Jamaica Tourist Board for their support. I look forward to the third staging.”

For her part, Dr Ava Eagle Brown, founder and CEO of the Black River Film Festival, commented, “This year’s festival proved that Jamaican storytelling resonates powerfully on the world stage and that Jamaica has more than enough hope, Jamaica has promise.”

The success of the festival owes much to its sponsors and the leadership, hard work and dedication of Dr Brown and curators Wentworth Kelly and Sosiessia Nixon-Kelly. 

The festival brought meaningful benefits to communities, offering local and international creatives a space to connect, learn, and collaborate through a series of engaging panels and networking sessions. It also generated economic opportunities for businesses across St. Elizabeth, such as sold-out accommodations and vendors, and provided employment opportunities for local youth and residents.

The Black River Film Festival continues to cement the town as a hub for creative business and culture, underscoring that rural Jamaica is an ideal location for world-class events. Plans are already underway for an even more expansive program in 2026.