Jamaica’s emerging film and television industry took centre stage on Friday as LAB Studios hosted SLATE | Jamaica on Screen, a showcase spotlighting Jamaica’s potential as a global content production hub.

The event brought together government leaders, international film executives, creatives, investors, and industry stakeholders, where discourse centred on storytelling, investment, and industry advancement.

Held at Carib 5 in partnership with Jamaica Promotions Corporation (Jampro) and the Jamaica Screen Development Initiative (JSDI), the event featured the private screening of the Jamaican-made feature film Love Offside, starring Judi Johnson, Mike Merril, Victoria Rowell, and Sundra Oakley.

This was followed by a fireside conversation with senior vice-president of development and production at Paramount Pictures Mika Pryce, trailer reveals for upcoming LAB Studios projects, and a keynote address from Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness.

The fireside conversation, ‘Building the future: Jamaican stories on the global stage’, featuring LAB Studios CEO Kimala Bennett and Pryce, explored the future of global storytelling, the rise of intellectual property-driven content ecosystems, and the opportunities for emerging production markets like Jamaica to compete internationally.

Pryce, whose credits include Get Out, Good Boys, Little, and Pacific Rim: Uprising, shared insights on what global studios are seeking in commercially viable and culturally resonant storytelling.

The evening also provided a first look at LAB Studios’ expanding film and television projects, including Christmas in the Tropics, Jenna In Law, SEEN, Happily Ever Awkward, and The Marriage Clause, underscoring the company’s continued investment in original Caribbean intellectual property development.

LAB Studios is among the first to receive funding through JSDI as part of the Government’s strategic investment in growing Jamaica’s screen industry to the tune of $50 million in national film financing to support projects.

Bennett said the event represented more than the launch of new productions, describing it as part of a broader effort to position Jamaica and the wider Caribbean within the rapidly growing global content economy.

“The global media and entertainment industry is now valued at more than US$2.8 trillion, and as audiences continue searching for stories that feel authentic and emotionally connected, the opportunity for culturally-driven storytelling has never been greater… Few countries our size have had the cultural impact Jamaica has had globally, and the opportunity now is to build the infrastructure and production ecosystem needed to consistently bring Jamaican stories to international audiences while creating real economic value in the process. That is the opportunity we see at LAB Studios,” she said.

“We are grateful to our government partners for recognising the value of the creative economy and helping to position Jamaica as a global content hub,” Bennett said.

The Government has indicated a broader commitment to developing the creative sector, including its recently announced $1-billion investment.

Said Holness: “This is the latest signal that Jamaica has the talent, the stories, the locations, and the cultural appeal to build a serious film industry. Jamaica has long been globally recognised as a cultural superhub, but we have not always converted that cultural influence into structured economic opportunity. We need to have an unvarnished view of where we are in our development and be honest with ourselves about the things we need to improve… The Government sees film as part of Jamaica’s next frontier of economic growth.”

President of Jampro Shullette Cox also emphasised the importance of collaboration: “SLATE represents the embodiment of the vision of the JSDI: Supporting content creators in bringing their stories onto the screen. We look forward to supporting more screenings such as this one in the future, as we continue to issue funding under the JSDI, and give support through the Jamaica Film Commission in an effort to ensure that Jamaican stories have visibility on the global stage.”