Plans are in high gear for staging the Jamaica Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists (JAMU) first-ever Film Festival, which will be held on Sabbath, May 10, 2025, at the West Jamaica Conference Centre. It starts at 3:00 pm.
The Festival is a collaborative effort between the JAMU and Hope Channel Inter-America. Hope Channel Inter-America has been partnering with other Unions throughout the Inter-American Division of Seventh-day Adventists to promote and encourage the use of short films to unearth members’ creativity while winning and keeping souls for Christ.
“Jamaica has many creative and digital disciples who have done innovative work for their churches and groups,” said Nigel Coke, Communication Director for JAMU. “Our primary focus is to provide an opportunity for them to hone their talents while providing an avenue for witnessing to non-believers and establishing a firm foundation in the faith of believers.”
The keynote speaker will be Mr. Everett Wiles, the former general manager of NCU Media Group, who now serves as Vice President of Marketing and Communication at Washington Adventist University in the USA.
Other presenters at the Festival include Professor Abel Marquez, Communication Director of the Inter-American Division of Seventh-day Adventists, and Dr. Lizbeth Elejalde, Director of Programming at Hope Channel Inter-America.
“It will also act as a platform to inspire modern methods of educating and engaging audiences through films and other short content, utilizing creative expression and storytelling by individuals, groups, or churches in a collaborative effort to convey Adventist doctrines, heritage, and values,” Coke added.
The Jamaica Stock Exchange (JSE) and Caribbean Business Exchange (CBX), a dedicated cable TV channel that features content and messaging produced by the JSE and regional and international broadcasting partners, are on board to assist with awards and live and delayed coverage of the Festival. The winners will be interviewed after the event, and prospects for the best film will be featured on the channel.
The festival seeks to encourage the development of content that reflects the Adventist church’s faith, doctrines, and mission. The theme is “Recapturing the Spirit of Mission,” with the main objectives to:
Promote Seventh-day Adventist Beliefs: Showcasing films that creatively and accurately present key doctrines such as the Sabbath, the Second Coming, and the State of the Dead.
Engage the Community: To encourage the development of a short Seventh-day Adventist film that engages the local and global community in thinking about spiritual themes through social media and other virtual platforms.
Empower Creativity: To provide a channel through which new and aspiring Seventh-day Adventist filmmakers and storytellers can share their stories in a way that inspires hope.
The categories are:
- Music and Animation
- Short Films and Mobile Films
- Public Service Announcements and Commercials
The Festival’s format includes showcasing top entries, a presentation on filmmaking, and an awards ceremony, which will recognize the best films overall in their various categories.
