Minister of Culture and Entertainment Olivia Grange has commended the Henzell family on its significant contributions to Jamaican culture, with another distinctive event, the Treasure Beach Food, Rum & Reggae Festival, slated for November 7-9 in St. Elizabeth.

The Henzell family is known for their matriarch and late filmmaker Perry Henzell’s 1972 cult-classic Jamaican crime film ‘The Harder They Come‘, which was co-written by Trevor D. Rhone, and starred reggae singer Jimmy Cliff and Carl Bradshaw.

The movie is largely credited with introducing Jamaican pop culture to an international audience.

“‘Harder They Come‘ – the legendary film is now a musical, and we were just talking about how we can work together to take it to Jamaica, because it has great reviews and why shouldn’t Jamaica enjoy as well,” Grange said at the launch of Treasure Beach Food, Rum & Reggae Festival on Tuesday (October 7) at 10a West Kings House Road in St. Andrew.

“I want you all to recognise that the Henzell family [has] contributed to the development and the penetration that the culture has had throughout the world through Harder They Come and through their work, and so, there is a legacy,” she said.

In the movie, Jimmy Cliff plays Ivanhoe Martin, a character based upon a real-life Jamaican criminal of that name, better known as Rhyging, who achieved fame in the 1940s.

Wishing to become a successful reggae singer, in the movie, the young Jamaican man finds himself tied to corrupt record producers and drug pushers.

Outside of the movie, the children of Perry, Justine Henzell and Jason Henzell have been well-known for contributing to the survival of Jamaica’s best-kept secret, Treasure Beach.

“There is a legacy… It’s a legacy that we should celebrate, and I’m happy to see that Justine and Jason, you’re carrying on the work of your father, and that your mom, Sally, is still here to give you the support,” Grange said before asking the guests to applaud her.

Justine is rooted in the parish of St. Elizabeth, particularly Treasure Beach, where she co-founded the renowned Calabash International Literary Festival in 2001.

The daughter of the late filmmaker Perry Henzell of the ‘Harder They Come’ fame, Miss Henzell was not born in Treasure Beach but fell in love with the area in her childhood days when she would spend summer holidays with her grandparents.

Treasure Beach Food, Rum & Reggae Festival was first held in 2023, but was abandoned in 2024 due to the passage of Hurricane Beryl, resulting in the upcoming staging as its second.

At the launch, there were samples of the food, energy and entertainment lineup that can be expected at the Treasure Beach Food, Rum & Reggae Festival, especially the food in the form of sunrise wellness breakfast from Kamila’s Kitchen, and fine dining by renowned chef Oji Jaja.

There is already published, a whole weekend worth of activities, those include: on Friday, November 7 The South Coast Tours, Festival Village, The South Coast Table, and Kick Off Concert with Chris Martin; on Saturday, November 8, The Breakfast Party, Festival Village, Bar Crawl and Capleton Live in Concert; and on Sunday, November 9, Sunrise Wellness Experience + Breakfast, Festival Village and the close-out with Agent Sasco live in concert.