There should be a 'bashment' opening to the summer movie season in Jamaica this year with the premiere of the Bashment Granny movie on June 16.

There are plans for premieres across the Caribbean, the UK, USA and Canada. However, Paul O Beale, director and producer of the film which will be Stages Films' first release, said "since Kingston is hometown we are going to make it a big one. We are going to make a big thing out of it."

"All the actors, I imagine, are going to be there. But definitely all the stars," he said.

Among those stars is Keith 'Shebada' Ramsey, Maxwell 'Maama Man' Grant, Garfield 'Bad Boy Trevor' Reid and Stede 'Jookey Jam' Flash. There are also persons who were not in the play - Apache Chief and Sarge, Trudy Bell, Donald Thompson and Patrick Smith.

The general thrust of the movie would be apparent to those who saw the Bashment Granny trailer at the first Jamaica World Cinema Showcase, held at Finnigan's Winery, Cranbourne Avenue, St Andrew, last October. However, Beale said there is one actor persons who saw the play and trailer would not have known.

"Everaldo Creary's role is not in the first trailer, so people don't even know he's in there," Beale said. A second trailer will feature Creary, and Beale said there are other surprises.

While the editing of Bashment Granny has been going well, Beale said there is "so much to do in terms of the music." He said Dean Fraser, renowned saxophonist, is doing the soundtrack for the movie and an album will be produced. "We have not decided yet what the theme song is going to be," Beale said, adding that the intention is to go for reggae in the theme song.

Other genres of music

However, on the soundtrack "not everything is going to be reggae. We have to look at other genres of music." He has had a hand in writing three of the songs for the soundtrack and Beale said Ryan Prendergast plays a major role in handling the soundtrack.

While Beale said it was a "great feeling," as he looked forward to the Bashment Granny premiere, he cautioned, "It is not really about how you feel, but how the audience feels. You constantly remind yourself of that. That never leaves you."

Beale will not go as far as assessing the Bashment Granny's place among Jamaican movies, but said "it is going to do a big thing in promoting the Jamaica movie industry."

Next for Stages Films is a family-oriented sitcom, which looks at family life in contemporary Jamaica. "Sometime down the line we are looking at an action/drama. We don't have a title for that as yet," Beale said.