‘90s reggae song featured in short film

Everytime You’re There, a single which was released by singer Richie Stephens in 1993, on Motown Records, was selected for the soundtrack of the groundbreaking short film, Daddy’s Not Around: D.N.A. The film will be screened on September 21 at the Royal Cinema during the Caribbean Tales Film Festival in Toronto, Canada.

Written and produced by Toronto-based, Jamaica-born Sandy Daley, one of four women of colour, Daddy’s Not Around: D.N.A. was selected to be included in the CineFAM micro cinema challenge. The film-makers were required to create short films with unconventional film-making techniques, using cell phones, GoPros, tablets and other low-budget equipment, while working with a small crew to achieve an exciting, new aesthetic. The competitors had to hire primarily women of colour, and each project had to be headed by a woman of colour. All genres were accepted, including documentary, fiction, experimental and animation.

Each film-maker received production support from Trinity Square Video and mentorship from various industry professionals. A one-day workshop was also mandatory.

“I received so much pushback from men, who could not fathom the idea that we were seeking only females to be included in this project. I often found myself defending our right to access equal opportunities, especially in the film business, as the male-dominated environment still does not understand the gravity of the situation,” Daley told The Gleaner.

The film, which is set in the early ‘70s, stars six-year-old actor Nathaniel Daley, with supporting roles played by Shamba Amani and Sandy Daley. CineFAM is Caribbean Tales’ global initiative to support bold new stories by women of colour worldwide.

Caribbean Tales Film Festival was founded by Francis Anne Solomon.