​Closing Screening - JAMAICAN PREMIERE OF “Dalton’s Dream”

Contemporary Jamaican society has adopted a veneer of acceptance for individuals across the LGBTQI community. However, this apparent tolerance is only surface-level, frequently expressed in vague or ambiguous terms, and lacks comprehensive inclusivity. The documentary film "Dalton's Dream," which traces the path of Dalton Harris, the Jamaican recording artiste and 2018 winner of The X-Factor UK, is a compelling case study on the contemporary landscape of homophobia and illustrates that being openly gay is not an option for all Jamaicans. Dalton’s experiences transcend geographical borders, and, in doing so, open up a discourse that explores the multifaceted ways in which sexuality, tolerance, and homophobia are encountered and negotiated across diverse spaces. Between Worlds: Navigating Sexuality on the Homefront interrogates the issue of homosexual permissibility in Jamaica by screening “Dalton’s Dream” followed by a roundtable discussion featuring the protagonist Dalton Harris; Jamaican filmmaker, Nadean Rawlins, who has produced and directed several short films with LGBTQI narratives; Jamaican author and LGBTQI activist, Staceyann Chin; and Jamaican doctoral student, Jovanté Anderson whose research focuses on queer and trans forms of speculative world-making in postcolonial Jamaica. The discussion will be moderated by Kerry Chen, an Arts Manager, Film Producer and Curator who conceptualised and curated the inaugural Cinema Under the Stars (CUTS) LGBTQI Film Screening in 2022 as part of Community Fest.

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