Andre Jebbinson, Staff Reporter

Angela Patterson, CEO of CPTC. - Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer

Many of Jamaica's inconvenient truths are to be showcased in several documentaries in the coming weeks.

The Creative Production and Training Centre (CPTC), in association with David Rubinson, organiser of the Negril Free Film Festival, will be staging the Kingston Free Film Festival inside the CPTC's Studio A from March 29 to April 1.

"These are films that people would not pay money to see, but still there are issues for discussion and debate," said Angela Patterson, chief executive officer at CPTC.

Rubinson, a 40-year veteran music and film producer from California and New York, first started the film festival in Negril, Westmoreland after he retired.

He spends five months of the year in Jamaica and said he had achieved a lot from the Jamaican people and it felt right to give back.

"Having been in the music and film for most of my life, I wanted to bring films to Jamaicans that they wouldn't normally be exposed to," he stated.

"I would like everyone to talk to each other about the issues that are affecting Jamaica and the world. It's what we do with these films, we communicate."

According to Rubinson, the Negril shows have been getting positive turn-outs and he hopes the same for Kingston.

Hopeton Dunn, chairman of CPTC and executive producer of the documentary, The Green Tunnel suggested to Rubinson that he take the festival to Kingston.

Patterson also loved the idea. Rubinson is funding the festival with the help of the CPTC.

Documentaries include

The list of documentaries include Rent A Rasta, a controversial film that probes some of Jamaica, specifically Negril's most noticeable and most rarely discussed subjects: sex tourism, 'Rent A Dreads' and the genuine Rastafarians.

The locally produced, The Green Tunnel, confronts the rapidly-growing threat to Jamaica's environment and quality of life.

Illuminated by the amazing efforts of a courageous and innovative local small farmer, it explores rea to strengthen long-term management and sustainability in a climate of industrial chemical spills and continued encroachment on Jamaica's most critical life support systems.

Other films include the Academy Award Winning An Inconvenient Truth, Life and Debt, The Future of Food, Iraq For Sale and Loose Change 2.

Patterson hopes the festival will benefit patrons and producers who attend the festival. She said this was only a small part of the partnership the CPTC was looking to create between itself and producers.

"CPTC has positioned itself to be the avenue through which producers can have access to the facilities to do their work. We have the resources and archival material to package with the new material. CPTC is here and here for producers who want to get life into their ideas," Patterson said.

Patterson continued, "Good films don't have to come from Hollywood or Bollywood. There is a huge debate as to what the creative industry should and must play. We have a play a part."

After each film has been viewed, Patterson and Rubinson hope to spark constructive debates. But that by itself will not be enough. Instead, they want each person to start making the change.

"If one person leaves the festival and make a great film, it would be a wonderful thing. The story would be better told by the people here," Rubinson said.