COME December, there will be a casting call for local talent for an upcoming production entitled So Enticing.

Speaking with the Sunday Observer, American film director Joshua Coates said the film will be 90 per cent Jamaican and requires a lot of Jamaican acts.

“We are seeking a host of actors and actresses. So far we are going to need at least 10-15 supporting females, in addition to leads and anywhere from 50 to 100 extras,” he said.

He did not wish to disclose the movie’s budget, but shared the most of it will be shot in Jamaica and rest in the United States.

So Enticing is based on a book written by Coates’s close friend, Jamaican author Colin Don Rose. Earlier this year, the book was rewritten into a screenplay by Rose for the film adaptation.

Like the novel, the movie’s plot is based on a young African-American woman named Peaches who escapes poverty, falls prey to love and is marinated by her own independence. The fictional novel divulges how Peaches utilises her wits and beauty to establish an escort service. From her initial success, she continues to climb the entrepreneurial ladder, tempting fate and living on the very edge of respectability. However, her friends and associates are being murdered and she does not know who is committing such acts or why.

Producers of the film Gothic Entertainment Group and 20/20 Visions Entertainment Group said they intend to enhance Brand Jamaica by showcasing the island’s talent, culture, sites and attractions.

Coates said the novel was given to him on one of his trips to Jamaica and after reading it, he was intrigued with the plot.

“Upon reading the novel, I knew that Jamaica would set the perfect atmosphere for the movie. Jamaica is a tropical place and would fitting to tell the story of being a stranger in an island while being chased around by a killer. Also, instead of the actors travelling to the States for casting, we bring the movie to them,” he said.

With filming slated to begin early next year, Coates said he will travel to Jamaica with a skeletal team as everyone else will be contracted from Jamaica.

“When the film is complete, we plan to have an exclusive red carpet event only in Jamaica. Our desire is for Jamaicans to participate in the celebration of the film before it hits the United States,” said Coates.

While Kingston and Manchester may be venues for the casting call, Coates said more information will be provided in the coming weeks.

Coates hails from Philadelphia in the United States. He has directed and written numerous films. He is known for his role as executive producer for the movies Iniquity (2012) and Jenae So in Love (2008). His most recent film, But Deliver Us from Evil, which had a April 2017 premiere, is to be released later this year.