Jamaica T. Jones and The End of the World
Film
20 minutes (Trailer: 50 seconds)
Filmmaker: Nzinga Kadalie
2014
Playing the lead role of Jamaica T. Jones was an eye-opener in what it actually takes to play a role that has so many elements of yourself embedded within the character. As an actress, it’s important to locate elements of onself within characters to build on that character’s backstory. One may think that it’s a fairly easy task but it is not. Recognizing that the negative characteristics in a character are in fact some of the not-so-great characteristics within yourself, is fantastic for self-improvement. I also appreciated Kadalie’s use of economic injustice illustrated by Jamaica’s struggle to survive when working a full-time low-wage job, then seeking assistance through State unemployment services. How does a skilled person thrive and survive in a society that seems to not focus on merit? Why would a disenfranchised person attend higher education with exorbitant costs leading to exorbitant loan debt? What are the risks of only living to work? The mental stress that ensues knowing that loan repayments are due but you can’t afford it because you need the money to eat and pay rent. Jamaica’s battles are those that people can relate to, and in the end, self-love is and acknowledgment of her agency is what sets her on a path to freedom.
Jamaica T. Jones and The End of the World, written and directed by filmmaker Nzinga Kadalie, is the story of a twenty-something with anger management issues who realizes that the only way she can survive is by recognizing that she must approach difficult situations productively to avoid the end of the world that’s coming for her.
Check out the Trailer below
