NZIFF 2019 Inna de Yard

Directed by: Peter Webber

Beyond Bob Marley, Inna de Yard dives deep into the soul of reggae music, the die-hard singers and songwriters who were there from the beginning, and the Jamaican sound and spirit.

Reggae legends including Cedric Myton, Kiddus I and Ken Boothe reminisce while jamming out their greatest hits in this vibrant celebration of Jamaica and its diverse cultural history. Sprinkled with festive scenes from a live performance in Paris, the documentary does for reggae, ska, rock steady and roots what Buena Vista Social Club did wholeheartedly for Afro-Cuban music.

“There are several lifetimes of music and memories shared between the subjects of Inna De Yard… The film, an appealing blend of accessibly toe-tapping music and likeable characters, creates an atmosphere almost as heady as the fug of smoke which… shrouds the heads of the dreadlocked old-timers who are invited to revisit their most iconic tracks…

The project which anchors the picture is the recording of an album, ‘unplugged and acoustic style… capturing the music in its virgin state.’ Sprinkled [around] this is a dusting of Jamaican history and a fleeting but poignant commentary on the poverty and simmering violence which has marked the lives of most of the musicians in one way or another… For a warm, engaging love letter to the veteran talents who shaped a sound, the film has an infectious groove.” — Wendy Ide, Screendaily