The Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) has announced the top eight finalists in the fifth staging of its FIWI Short Film Competition, continuing its mission to spotlight emerging Jamaican filmmakers and authentic local storytelling.
Selected for the 2025 staging are Paris Taylor (How to Not Gossip), Robert Tyme (Bun Dem), Seyvonnie Campbell (Signs of Inclusion), Brian Johnson (Inside Voice), Omaall Wright (Tun Back Blow), George Malcolm (Lick), Shemar Grant (Pssst: A Catcall for Help), and Narry Berry (Eyesore).
This year’s competition includes a strong public health awareness focus, supported through a partnership with the Ministry of Health & Wellness. Filmmakers were challenged to creatively incorporate the theme ‘STOP: You’re Eating Too Much Salt’, using film as a medium to encourage lifestyle awareness, behavioural change, and national conversation around healthier living. The shortlisted films approach the theme through what the JCDC described as powerful, relatable, and imaginative storytelling.
Acting Director of Arts Development and Training at the JCDC, Shaun Drysdale, who conceptualised the FIWI Short Film Competition, said this year’s entries reflect both growth in the competition and increased maturity within Jamaica’s film sector.
“This year’s FIWI Short Film Competition truly shows how far our film-makers have come. The stories are bolder, the production quality is stronger, and the way the film-makers have woven a national public health message into authentic Jamaican narratives is impressive,” Drysdale said. “Film is one of the most powerful ways for us to tell our own stories, and what audiences will see this year is creativity, relevance, and purpose all coming together. These eight films represent the future of Jamaican cinema, and viewers can expect to be moved, challenged, and inspired.”
The JCDC said that as the country continues to navigate and recover from recent challenges, it has reaffirmed its commitment to therapy through art, using creative platforms such as film to promote expression, healing, and social reflection.
As in previous years, the public will play a key role through the Viewer’s Choice Award. All eight finalist films are now available for public viewing on the JCDC’s YouTube channel, with the winner to be determined by the highest number of views recorded during the designated viewing period ahead of the awards ceremony.
The FIWI Short Film Awards Ceremony is scheduled for January 2026, when winners across all categories will be formally announced.
