It could not have come at a more opportune time or happen to a nicer person. SPRINTER, the film by Jamaica’s Storm Saulter debuted on NETFLIX this week at a time when millions around the world are sitting at home in forced lockdown from the deadly Corona virus.
Saulter himself made the big announcement in this Facebook video post on Thursday April 16:
A message from writer/director, 🎥 @stormsaulter:SPRINTER GONE GLOBAL 🌏🌍🌎 !!! We opened today on @netflix (USA) & globally on @appletv @amazonprimevideo @google.play.store @xbox and other digital platforms. Go to sprinterthefilm.com > “How To Watch” for links to all our platforms – Maximum Love & Respect to everyone who played a part whether big or small. CARIBBEAN CINEMA TO DO WORLD ⚡️⚡️⚡️
Posted by Sprinter on Wednesday, April 15, 2020
ABOUT THE FILM
Sprinter follows Akeem Sharp (Dale Elliott) who is set to become Jamaica’s next big track-and-field star. Akeem’s dream is that his sprinting achievements will be his ticket to the US to reunite with his mother, who is living there as an undocumented immigrant. Standing in the way of Akeem fulilling his true potential is an unstable father and his lottery scamming older brother who insinuates himself into Akeem’s career. The cast is a mixture of fresh Jamaican talent in Elliott, Kadeem Wilson and Shantol Jackson with a cameo appearance by sprint legend Usain Bolt; and American talent including Bryshere Gray, (Empire) Lorraine Toussaint (Orange is the New Black) and David Alan Grier (Native Son) with songs by Grammy award winning artist Ne-Yo.
Since it was released in 2018, Sprinter has been showing in cinemas across the USA and in that year swept the American Black Film Festival winning “Best Director” “Best Narrative Feature” and the “Audience Award”. The film went on to win the “New Vision Award” at the Bahamas International Film Festival; “Best Feature Film” at the Nouveaux Regards Film Festival in Guadeloupe and “Best Narrative Feature” at the 2019 Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles. Sprinter is Executive Produced by Jada and Will Smith. Of the appeal and potential of the film, Saulter says:
“It’s a sports drama so it might feel familiar, but it’s also a film where you discover an entire country and culture through eyes that are way more nuanced and complex than what you’re used to seeing and thinking about Jamaica.”
Commenting on the Netflix and release of the film on other platforms ( Apple TV; Amazon Prime Video, Google Play Store and Xbox) Saulter says:
“I really hope we get a lot of eyes on this film so that we can prove the market for Caribbean cinema exists.”
Who Is Da Man?
Storm Saulter hails originally from Negril, Hanover/Westmoreland, Jamaica. He is a filmmaker and visual artist equally talented as a filmmaker and photographer. His award-winning debut film, Better Mus’ Come was hailed by critics as signaling a fresh new movement of independent filmmaking throughout the Caribbean. That film was the first from Jamaica and the Caribbean to achieve a limited release on Netflix. Storm has directed music videos for Chronix, Protégé , Arcade Fire and has captured visuals for Jay-Z and Beyonce’s ‘On the Run 2’ world tour. His photography has been published in Rolling Stone magazine and he has exhibited at the National Gallery of Jamaica, the Brooklyn Museum, British Museum and the Museum of Contemporary Art, Miami.
