PLANS are moving apace for the October release of the docu-film Queen Nanny by Jamaican film-maker Roy Anderson. Anderson told the Jamaica Observer that a recent screening of a ‘rough cut’ in Toronto, Canada, provided much-needed feedback. “The response to the screener has been overall very encouraging.

The film was well received. We asked everyone to fill out a questionnaire telling us what they thought of the film. The educational value of the film was recognised by a majority of the respondents,” said Anderson. “As the rough cut is 64 minutes, we invited feedback on how we could shave off five minutes from the film so that it would fit in a one-hour broadcast window.

Comments here were varied but very helpful.” Anderson further explained that his production team is on target to meet its premiere on National Heroes Day — October 17 — at the United Nations in New York. Jamaicans will have the opportunity to see Queen Nanny later that week.

According to Anderson, the Jamaican premiere is confirmed for Friday, October 23 at the University of the West Indies. “We are working with the Ministry of Youth and Culture to try and stage a Maroon community screening in Moore Town, Portland, at a date to be determined,” he added.

He also has plans to take his work on the international film festival circuit. His first stop will be the Pan-African Film Festival in Los Angeles in February. Filmed in Jamaica and Ghana, Queen Nanny is Anderson’s second major project and follow-up to Akwantu two years ago.

That film explored his own Maroon roots, tracing the foundation of the Jamaican freedom fighters back to Africa.