Keeling's Caribbean Showcase

Never before seen footage from the vaults of Keeling Beckford.

Reggae Heroes on Parade '93

Dir. Keeling Beckford (1993) 58 min.

Tappa Zukie gathered a lineup of reggae heroes to perform at Jamaica's famous dancehall, Coney Park, and Keeling was there, as always, to catch it on film. Only the greatest on this one: Sugar Minott, Johnnie Clark, Brigadiere Jerry, Melodians, U-Roy, Big Youth, Mykal Rose, and Tappa Zukie.

8:30 pm

Classic Films of the Afro-Caribbean Diaspora

Babylon

Dir. Franco Rosso, 1980, 91 min.

Babylon is set in South London at the start of the ’80s, a time when reggae music was at its peak, along with a distinctively British brand of xenophobia and racism that saw American boxer Marvin Hagler pelted with bottles at Wembley after beating Alan ‘I’ll never lose to a black man’ Minter. The plot concerns Blue, lead chanter for Ital Lion Sound (played by Aswad singer and former Double Decker Brinsley Forde), in the run-up to a competition with a rival crew led by Jah Shaka (who appears as himself). Over the course of the film Blue socialises with his friends and clashes with his family, employer, and a local clan of racists, before going on a spiritual and physical journey through small hours London where he encounters a series of trials and temptations that set up the film’s violent climax.

Keeling's Caribbean Showcase

Never before seen footage from the vaults of Keeling Beckford.

Reggae Heroes on Parade '93

Dir. Keeling Beckford (1993) 58 min.

Tappa Zukie gathered a lineup of reggae heroes to perform at Jamaica's famous dancehall, Coney Park, and Keeling was there, as always, to catch it on film. Only the greatest on this one: Sugar Minott, Johnnie Clark, Brigadiere Jerry, Melodians, U-Roy, Big Youth, Mykal Rose, and Tappa Zukie.

Classic Films of the Afro-Caribbean Diaspora

Babylon

Dir. Franco Rosso, 1980, 91 min.

"Criminally Underrated!"

Babylon is set in South London at the start of the ’80s, a time when reggae music was at its peak, along with a distinctively British brand of xenophobia and racism that saw American boxer Marvin Hagler pelted with bottles at Wembley after beating Alan ‘I’ll never lose to a black man’ Minter. The plot concerns Blue, lead chanter for Ital Lion Sound (played by Aswad singer and former Double Decker Brinsley Forde), in the run-up to a competition with a rival crew led by Jah Shaka (who appears as himself). Over the course of the film Blue socialises with his friends and clashes with his family, employer, and a local clan of racists, before going on a spiritual and physical journey through small hours London where he encounters a series of trials and temptations that set up the film’s violent climax.