Jamaican suspense drama Behind Closed Doors, produced by Kingston-based Yaad Boiiz Productions, has been named the Best Caribbean Film of 2024 at the Toronto International Nollywood Film Festival (TINFF).
The festival, held in Toronto, Canada, from September 8 to 15, featured nearly 100 films from around the world, including feature films, short films, documentaries, and music videos.
Behind Closed Doors emerged as one of the standout films of the festival, drawing such strong audience reactions that an additional screening was scheduled on September 14. At the end of the Saturday screening, the film received a prolonged ovation from the audience, reflecting its success at the event.
Orville Matherson, CEO of Yaad Boiiz Productions and producer of the film, accepted the award during the festival’s closing night gala. In his speech, he acknowledged the hard work of his team in Jamaica and expressed gratitude for their contributions.
“I’m accepting this award on behalf of my entire team from Jamaica who couldn’t be here tonight and who did such an amazing job on this film,” Matherson said. “We had an additional screening here last night and the reaction that we received for this labor of love was incredible. As a producer I can tell you right now—I am in heaven!”
Matherson also reflected on the challenges the team faced in completing the film, which began production in 2018. The journey spanned six years, with delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and changes to the cast and crew.
“It took every ounce of perseverance from myself and the team around me to stay the course,” Matherson said. “Day in and day out for over six years we kept at it, without knowing for sure if this film would ever get done and see the light of day. So to receive this acclaim in Toronto… means a great deal.”
Behind Closed Doors, directed by Marc Anthony Deacon and written by Tachelle Ferron, was filmed entirely in Jamaica. The story follows a young college student, played by Rachel Seaton, who turns to a wealthy Jamaican entrepreneur, portrayed by Shevrado Oliver, for financial help, only to discover that his aid comes at a dangerous cost. The cast also includes Pepita Little, Darron Donaldson, Kay-Ann Dennis, and Leroy ‘Tommy Lee Sparta’ Russell.
Since debuting on the festival circuit earlier this year, Behind Closed Doors has won several awards, including Best International Feature Film at the Switzerland Film Fest and Best Caribbean Drama at the International Black Diversity Film Festival.
Matherson is now working on securing distribution for the film and recently participated in Fame Week Africa in Cape Town, South Africa, as part of the JAMPRO Export Max Mentorship Programme. Negotiations with major distributors and streaming platforms are ongoing, and work on the film’s soundtrack is nearing completion.
Premieres for Behind Closed Doors are planned for Jamaica and other international locations in the near future.
