Local film-maker Sabrina Thomas is the winner of the Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) FIWI Short Film Competition 2024.

She walked away with the $350,000 cash prize, a trophy, and a gift basket for her five-minute film Shattered at the awards ceremony held on Thursday, October 24, at The Roof Terrace of the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, 4-6 Trafalgar Road, New Kingston.

Shattered is a drama that deals with gender-based violence.

Interpreting the Jamaican proverb, ‘Rockstone a riber bottom nuh feel sun hot’, the film explores the story of a young lady who endures verbal and sexual abuse from family members in the confines of her home.

Thomas also won sectional awards for Best Actress, Best Director, Best Editor, Best Adult Film and Best Drama.

Second place went to George Malcolm Walker for his movie The Undertow while She Saw, by Seana-Kay Wright, placed third.

“Bless up to the JCDC for creating this platform so I can literally challenge myself,” said Thomas after receiving the winning trophy from executive director of the JCDC, Lenford Salmon.

She expressed gratitude and thanked the JCDC for creating a platform for young creatives.

In his remarks, Salmon said that the film competition has created a vibrant space for young people to engage with Jamaica’s rich cultural traditions through modern technology and storytelling.

He pointed out that the competition aligns perfectly with the commission’s mandate to unearth, develop, and showcase the best of Jamaica’s cultural talents.

“By offering mentorship from industry professionals, we equip young film-makers with invaluable skills that go way beyond just film-making. The confidence, creativity and critical thinking that the process cultivates will benefit them well in every aspect of life,” he noted.

He commended the film-makers for their hard work, passion and creativity.

“By telling stories that are authentically Jamaican you contribute to our living, evolving cultural landscape, one that honours the past while boldly embracing the future,” he said. “We have to write our own stories, because what will happen is that other people will write our stories and tell it in a way they want to tell it. We have to write our own stories so we can tell our life, our stories in a way we want the world to see us and appreciate us.”

This year, the JCDC received 47 entries for the short film competition, with 17 films completed.

Entrants were required to produce five-minute films with interpretations of some Jamaican proverbs and special themes.

A total of 51 short films have been produced since the competition began in 2021.