rocksteady

The documentary film Rocksteady: The Roots of Reggae is a musical journey to Jamaica’s Golden Age of music, Rocksteady. The film features the music and stories of the legendary singers and musicians of the Rocksteady

era. They come together after 40 years to record an album of Rocksteady hits, to perform together again at an All-Stars reunion concert in Kingston, Jamaica, and to tell their story.


Basic Information

Music Documentary Feature / Switzerland / Canada
98 min / 2009

Filmcrew

Producer               Valentin Greutert & Simon Hesse
Co-Producer         Betty Palik
Writer & Director      Stascha Bader
Line Producer Robert Boulos
DOP                    Piotr Jaxa
Sound Recordist Dieter Meyer
Music Arranger         Lynn Taitt
Band Leader Ernest Ranglin
Music Producer Moss “Mossman” Raxlen
Narrator Stranger Cole
Soundtrack Label Moll Selekta

starring

Stranger Cole
Judy Mowatt
Marcia Griffiths
Ken Boothe
Derrick Morgan
Hopeton Lewis
U-Roy
Leroy Sibbles
Dawn Penn
The Tamlins
Special appearances by: Rita Marley and more

Distribution

Swiss distribution:

Filmcoopi Zürich

World Sales:

MK2 Films

production information

A HesseGreutert Film production

In co-production with:

Muse Entertainment Enterprises, Canada

Supported by:

Bundesamt für Kultur BAK / Zürcher Filmstiftung
SRF Schweizer Radio & Fernsehen / Canadian Film & Video Production Tax Credit / Quebec Film & Television Tax Credit - Gestirn SODEC / Media

Festivals

Shown at more than 20 festivals, including Slamdance 2010 (competition) / Filmfest Munich 2009 / Buenos Aires 2010

Awards

Zürcher Filmpreis 2009 / Nomination Schweizer Filmpreis 2010