THERE is still no word from Palace Amusement Company, regarding its refusal to screen the local film Blind Shotta.

The Jamaica Observer has been unable to contact Palace’s managing director, Douglas Graham, or his wife Melanie, the company’s marketing manager.

The Observer was told that both executives will not be in office for the next few days. They are said to be overseas.

Palace Amusement Company operates Jamaica’s most popular cinema, Carib 5 in Kingston.

Formerly the Carib, it has been the cinema of choice for the premiere of Jamaican films starting with the classic The Harder They Come in 1973.

That flick, which starred Jimmy Cliff, went on to create history, both locally and overseas.

Blind Shotta director Diavallan Fearon feels his film is being discriminated against by Carib 5.

“This is a Jamaican, film which Jamaicans can relate to,” he stressed during an interview with the Observer last Saturday when he led a protest on Carib 5.

Over the past 15 years, Palace has been receptive to local films and Carib 5 has been a popular venue for premieres.

These include: The Lunatic, starring Paul Campbell, based on the novel of the same name by Anthony Winkler; Cool Runnings in 1993, was which inspired by the Jamaica bobsled team and starred Leon, Malik Yoba and Doug E Doug; Klash with Jasmine Guy and Giancarlo Esposito premiered at the Carib in 1995 and featured a number of popular reggae and dancehall acts.

The decade rounded out with three hits — Dancehall Queen in 1997 which featured Cherine Anderson, How Stella Got her Groove Back in 1998 and Third World Cop in 1999 which saw actor Paul Campbell.

In recent times, the list of Jamaican films making it to local screens includes One Love starring Ky-Mani Marley and Cherine Anderson. The biopic Glory to Gloriana, directed by Lennie Little-White also made it to Palace Amusement Company screens followed by the 1970s drama Better Mus’ Come from director Storm Saulter; the reggae documentary Rise Up and the boxing drama Ghett’a Life.