At the beginning of the year Limners and Bards Limited (The LAB) expressed intent to produce five feature films by 2025. An ambitious project, The LAB’s ‘FIVE in 25’ strategy seems to be taking form with the announcement of their first film of the year, Love Offside.

The movie, which boasts a slew of local talent (both in front and behind the camera), premièred at the American Black Film Festival (ABFF) on June 13.

Already the talented team at the local production powerhouse has labelled the film as monumental.

“Love Offside is not just our first film of the year, it’s our first official step into our five-film slate for 2025, otherwise known as our FIVE in 25 initiative. It’s rooted in Jamaican culture; from its story to its locations, language, cast, and even the natural healing traditions we explore,” said company founder and CEO Kimala Bennett. “It’s proof that our stories, told with heart and authenticity, have global relevance.”

The film tells the tale of a physical therapist, played by Jamaican-born actress Judi Johnson, who secretly treats a rugby player, played by American actor Mike Merrill. Using a blend of traditional Jamaican herbal remedies and modern therapy, the physical therapist takes the professional athlete on an unconventional healing journey which ultimately forges a romantic connection.

The film was shot at various locations across the island, with several local talents involved in both the production and acting elements.

Singer Tosh Alexander will make her film début as the athlete’s girlfriend.

Speaking on the film’s genesis, Bennett shared that the storyline was birthed from a desire to tell a “healing love story set in Jamaica”.

“We felt that the romantic comedy genre would appeal to both local and international audiences with its global themes combined with a Jamaican flair. We also wanted to kick off our slate with feel-good stories that would resonate and garner global appeal. We partnered with Daniel Campbell, a celebrated Jamaican romance novelist, who penned the script and has a great understanding of what audiences want to see in this genre,” Bennett explained. “We were happy to have Daneil on board, as she was specially selected to be a part of the Wattpad Creators Programme and has amassed millions of followers engaged with her creative stories. From there, it evolved into something bigger: A celebration of Jamaican identity, wellness, and diaspora roots, all wrapped in a sports romance narrative. We knew we had something special the moment we read the first draft.”

Dubbing the film a game changer, Bennett said Love Offside will highlight the endless possibilities that exist when local talent is catapulted to the forefront and also showcases that, when it comes to film-making, Jamaica has far more to offer than just its beautiful scenery.

“Love Offside shows what’s possible when we highlight local talent — production, writing, actors, etc — and stories. It signals that Jamaica isn’t just a beautiful backdrop; it’s a source of powerful storytelling. This film helps position the island as a serious player in the global content ecosystem, not just culturally, but commercially too,” she said. “Love Offside proves that Jamaica has the talent, vision, and capability to produce globally competitive content. We are proud to be a part of this growing industry and we want to fuel its growth by bolstering our relationships with international experienced teams. It’s not just about storytelling any more — it’s about execution, and we’ve shown we can deliver.”

Bennett says so far the response to the film has been positive, so much so that international distributors have already come knocking on The LAB’s door.

“Our vision is for the LAB Studios to become the ultimate film vehicle in the Caribbean by continuing to produce commercially viable films and developing a consistent pipeline of diverse content that showcases the talent in the Caribbean and, so far, the response has been overwhelming in the best way,” she said. “The trailer sparked real excitement — not just locally but across the diaspora. People are drawn to the authenticity, the beauty of the locations, and the universal themes. There’s also been a lot of buzz from the American Black Film Festival première, and we’ve had inquiries from international distributors already.”