RiseUp: a new classic of Jamaican cinema

There is a place on Earth where music is not just a pastime, but a way of life. Reggae, soul, dancehall... For five years, Luciano Blotta criss-crossed Jamaica with his camera. It was his first trip to the island and a first musical shock for the Argentine director. From this experience was born a documentary, "RiseUp", a genuine ode to the Jamaican street.

"I saw how full of talent Jamaica was, how flamboyant, different and creative its people were", explains the director. "Jamaica changed my life". The viewer is quickly swept along by this creative energy, and discovers an island where music beats every day of the year and on every street corner.

Through the journey of three emerging talents, Kemoy Reid, Michael 'Ice' Lewis and Turbulence, it is above all an ultimate trip into the heart of the Jamaican underground music scene. Far from the spotlights, from Bob Marley, Sizzla, Capleton or Bounty Killer, the director serves up raw music in a brutal universe. The camera settles where the heart of the music beats: in the street. "RiseUp" takes us into scenes inaccessible to tourists, from country sound systems to the remote alleys of the capital's ghettos.

After a world tour and prestigious awards, "RiseUp" is at last arriving in Jamaican cinemas. Considered the best Jamaican film since The Harder They Come by the press and by figures of the scene such as Chris Blackwell, "RiseUp" is due for release in France in 2011.