Masculinity in Jamaican Cinema Needs a Rewrite
Jamaican films often portray men caught between vengeance and enlightenment — yet they overlook the violence against women and homophobia that plague the country
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The 2018 film Yardie, directed by Idris Elba and based on Victor Headley’s novel of the same title, starts with the main character, Dennis, standing stoically in a brightly lit field as his girlfriend and daughter play with each other. Then, a cut — to Dennis shooting a former friend who is responsible for his beloved brother’s death. As the scene ends, the viewer hears Dennis’ voice in narration: “When I was a boy, I always believed I’d go with the righteous, and not the damned. But sometimes a man has to choose his own path.”
Like many other Jamaican films, the 1980s-set Yardie explores the sociopolitical and economic fallout of the country’s colonial history. Since its relatively recent independence — the island was only liberated from British rule in 1962 — Jamaica has grappled with poverty in the ghettos of Kingston, “rude boy” culture evolving into gangs, and political parties manipulating poor youth into fighting proxy wars.
