Jamaica for Sale
Details
Title: Jamaica for Sale
Director: Esther Figueroa
Year: 2009
Country: Jamaica
Runtime: 84
Language: (Jamaican) English
Subtitles: None
Trailer
Synopsis
Jamaica for Sale is a powerful documentary about the economic, social and environmental impacts of tourism and unsustainable development in Jamaica. Though the Caribbean receives about five percent of the global tourist trade, it is the region most economically dependent on tourism. Heavily promoted since 1891 as the way to modernization and prosperity, tourism has tragically failed in its promises, as Jamaica is one of the most indebted countries in the world and the third poorest country in the Caribbean. Lively, hard hitting, with powerful voices, arresting visuals and iconic music, Jamaica for Sale documents the environmental, economic, social and cultural impacts of unsustainable tourism development.
Filled with wit and penetrating observations from the street wise to highly acclaimed academics, Jamaica for Sale engages with a cross section of Jamaicans: workers, small hoteliers, fishermen, community members, and environmentalists. As Jamaica is irreversibly transformed by massive hotel and luxury condominium development, Jamaica for Sale both documents this transformation and is trying to turn the tide. It is a cautionary tale not just for Jamaica, but all islands in the Caribbean, and all places around the world who are dependent on tourism and/or participating in unsustainable development practices.
Jamaica for Sale is winner of the Audience Award at the Africa World Documentary Film Festival, the Bronze Palm Award at the Mexico International Film Festival, and the Rising Star Award at the Canada Film Festival.
YardVibes
This film is part of YardVibes, a streaming platform for content from independent African and Caribbean makers. The platform offers many titles for rent, from feature films and web series to documentaries and short films, with new content added each month. All titles can be rented individually for a modest fee, which will largely benefit the makers. You can find the complete YardVibes film streaming catalogue at bit.ly/yardvibes.
