NINE residents from inner-city communities in St James have been equipped to make positive changes in their respective communities through training received in film and video production.

The residents are the first cohort of graduates from Western Jamaica in the University of the West Indies (UWI) Community Film Project.

The graduation ceremony was held at the UWI Western Jamaica Campus on January 29.

In her remarks, campus director at the UWI Western Campus Dr Luz Longsworth noted that the project has been a life-changing experience for most of the graduates.

“This has certainly been reinforced by the positive feedback from your community. More than anything, this project is about hope and confidence in the future of our young people in Montego Bay, particularly those who may have felt marginalised from the mainstream of the educational system,” Dr Longsworth said.

The film project seeks to unearth, train and expose the next generation of talented film-makers by developing their creative abilities.

For his part, graduate Anthony Carpenter noted that the project is an opportunity for inner-city youths to find their way back.

“Each man is born with an unlimited reserve of power, brilliance and possibilities. We call this potential, but potential without opportunity is wasted energy that lies untapped to be explored,” he stated.

“Tonight, we bear witness to the union of potential and opportunity. We the graduates, the recipients of this once in a lifetime opportunity, are both humbled and honoured to have had the opportunity to be students at this globally renowned institution,” he added.

Member of Parliament for Central St James and deputy speaker of the House of Representatives, Lloyd B Smith, also congratulated the graduates.

He challenged them to take on projects in the Montego Bay area that will preserve the city’s history.

The graduates — Aine Allen, Marcia James, Cheryl Lewis, Ruben Robinson, Elvis Malcolm, Enrico Eldemire, Vernal Comrie, Kasheem Lewis and Anthony Carpenter — are from Canterbury and Norwood, two of St James’ inner-city communities.

Four short films, two of which were produced and directed by graduates of the course with local talent, were screened at the ceremony and received high commendation from guests.