IT’S been ten years since the release of Storm Saulter’s début film, Better Mus’ Come , the charged, political drama which centred around the backdrop of 1970s Jamaica and the circumstances which could have possibly led to the infamous Green Bay massacre — a covert operation on January 5, 1978 in which five men were shot dead after being lured into an ambush at the Green Bay Firing Range in St Catherine.

The film, which premièred here in Jamaica and had a theatrical run in cinemas in key markets, went on to win a treasure trove of awards at international film festivals, then gained even more traction once it appeared on the popular streaming platform Netflix. It also eventually got distributed by Ava Duvernay’s film distribution company Array in North America.

Better Mus’ Come gave Saulter the confidence to move forward in the industry with the credit of a feature film under his belt.

“It feels great to have made a film that represents an important moment in the development of cinema out of the Caribbean. I feel like, not only how it was made but in the subject matter and the use of inexpensive digital technology, is very important. I do think the film is also important as it has found an audience. There’s still millions out there to see it [but] it’s great to know that millions have seen it and I’m proud of it for sure,” Saulter told the Jamaica Observer in an interview.

Setting the film around an actual period in Jamaica’s history meant that Saulter was forced to do the research to make the subject matter factual and relatable.

“The film came about when I was reading a lot of history, specifically about geopolitics and about the Cold War and its impact on the Caribbean. I was surprised to realise how much of an impact the Cold War had on Jamaica as that was definitely not taught to me in school or spoken about. I had always heard the old dub record Green Bay Killing a Murder but never really knew what it meant.. So when I came up on all this information I just realised this is a story that needed to be told . It’s almost like the birth of post-colonial crime culture, which grew from the gangs being politicised.

“It is interesting that Better Mus’ Come was released following the 2010 incursion into Tivoli Gardens. Here we had a film saying Better Mus’ Come, which is a political slogan, and then here we are 30 years later and you have to ask the question: Has better come? The film, though it was a look at the past, it was very relevant to what was happening in 2010 and, to a degree, is still happening today in a different way,” Saulter added.

The film starred Sheldon Shepherd, the stage and screen actor who is now more known for his work with the performance poets The No-Maddz. He was paired with model-turned-actress Nicole “Sky” Grey and a dash of Hollywood flair with the acclaimed actor Roger Guenever Smith.

The story revolves around Ricky (played by Shepherd), a young ‘leader’ in his community who is fighting against forces, both external and within, as he seeks to eke out a better life for himself and those around him, including his young son. Throw into the mix a lethal combination of party politics, poverty, drugs, the battle for turf, a spiralling crime rate, food shortages, and what you have is a high-octane concoction that is certain to explode. And explode it does.

“Once I knew I wanted to created fictional characters who existed in that world and in that time, I tried to reference as much actual history as possible. I actually used newspaper articles and all the material surrounding the Green Bay trial, and I would find interesting stories and I created scenes from things I read. Joshua Bratter (executive producer) loved the story and got behind it as an investor. We shot the opening scene of the film and used that as a short to kind of of push and prove that the idea was really good and to secure the rest of the funding to move forward. It was shot very ‘guerilla style’. Many of the actors were first-time screen actors so there was a certain approach for me as a director. So, if you are working with an actor who doesn’t have a lot of methodology already you have to find what they have in their life, in their history, in their personality and mould it in a different way. That was an experience, working with inexperienced actors but still getting amazing performances out of them,” said Saulter.

Since Better Mus Come, Saulter has worked on a number of projects including the sports and family drama Sprinter, which also made it to Netflix following a run in the cinemas. However, the experience of Better Mus’ Come and the lessons learned on his maiden project still remain with the film-maker.

“Definitely my introduction to the world; it definitely had a big impact and put me in a situation as a serious film-maker. The reality, though, is that you always have to prove yourself in this industry. Even though sometimes you may be willing to take on certain things because you are so passionate about the film, as I was, you really need a strong team. You need people who will really keep going when the going get’s tough, [people who are] gonna look out for the best for the project. The film really needed that. I was a first-time filmmaker and I didn’t have the level of guidance that I should have had. Film-makers definitely need to choose their teams wisely. I’ve learned a lot and applied that to my other work and [I]continue to learn,” he shared.

And what are the standout moments from the film that he will never forget?

“There is a moment when you are literally manifesting dreams and ideas. There is an entire production that is moving to manifest this idea that you had, a pure form of creation is happening. I had many moments like this then because I felt that we were really making magic throughout — and I think some of that feeling comes through in the film as well,” said Saulter.