Jamaican Born Hollywood Stuntman / Director, at the United Nations

Jamaican Born Hollywood Stuntman / Director, at the United Nations.

 

Dignitaries, supporters, well wishers and members of the United Nations, all fill the “Dag Hammarskjold Library Auditorium” at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, to see the screening of the documentary, Akwantu: The Journey Written and Directed by Roy T. Anderson. This feature film is based on The Jamaican Maroons who came to Jamaica from the Western Coast of Africa. The Maroons were the First Successful Freedom Fighters of the New World. This documentary Akwantu: The Journey was a great film choice by the United Nation as they recognized “International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade.”

 

According to Dr. Eugene Newry, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of The Bahamas and Permanent Representative to the United Nations, “This documentary should be in all the school system throughout the Caribbean….” As Jamaican born Hollywood Stuntman / Director Roy T Anderson film screens at the United Nations, Mr. Anderson was extremely humble yet proud of his work while answering questions about the film. As several cast members looked on,  Co-Producer Allison Anderson was also speaking to various members of the audience who wanted to know more about the film. Knowing the significant role and the impact the Maroons had in Jamaica and around the Caribbean for all Freedom Fighters who came after them, I was honored to be a guest at this private screening.

Mr. Anderson stated that, “Akwantu started out as a personal story…. but because it highlighted the story of the Maroons which are a significant part of Jamaica’s history, I wanted to share it with the rest of the world.” Well, the almost capacity crowd at the United Nations were certainly glad he did with overwhelming applauds at the end of the documentary. As E. Courtenay Rattray, Ambassador Permanent Representative and The Permanent Mission of Jamaica to the United Nations stated, “…it was great that Mr. Anderson produce this documentary movie and kept it real and true…”

True it was, just imagine for a moment, The Maroons fought an 80 year war in Jamaica with the British from the 1600’s and eventually signed a “Peace Treaty of 1738” after successfully out maneuvering the British. As a result, “The Maroons are a sovereign people who have exercised sovereignty over Accompong Town in St. Elizabeth for over 275 years in 2013” according to Colonel Ferron Williams, leader of the Accompong Maroons.

As Jamaican born Hollywood Stuntman / Director, film screens at the United Nations, Roy stated, “We have a proud history that should be celebrated. The story of the Maroons has not risen to the stage where the world knows about them. Not enough credence is given to the Maroons. For many, the Haitian revolt was the only one of its kind, yet the Maroons successfully defeated the mighty British in 1738.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As Mr. Anderson and his team continues to gain exposure to his documentary Akwantu: The Journey. Their goal is for Jamaicans, Caribbean’s, Africans, Freedom Fighters and the World to embrace this great period in our history. Their company Action 4 Reel FilmWorks is looking to partner with private and public companies to get this documentary in schools & Libraries across the Caribbean and around the world. For more information and how to get a copy of this powerful DVD, visit Akwantu: The Journey.