Akilla's Escape | Credit: Courtesy
Broken into “Exhibits,” this emotive crime feature explores the lingering impacts of Jamaica’s tumultuous political scene of the late 1970s and 1980s on the gang-strewn streets of Toronto. In the aftermath of a marijuana robbery gone haywire, we watch as the protagonist, played by spoken word star Saul Williams, tries to right wrongs that began many years before.
Filmmaker Charles Officer recently answered some questions via email.
The introduction is like a crash course in Jamaican politics. How much do the politics of the late 1970s and early 1980s still affect life for the country’s expats?
I can speak to the effects of political warfare, which, from what I understand, had a profound impact on my parents and extended family. This is partly why I wanted to make this film.
