Cayman will join the rest of the globe celebrating the life and legacy of Jamaican reggae icon Bob Marley, when his biopic hits theatres worldwide on Valentine’s Day, 14 Feb.
‘Bob Marley: One Love’, the biographical musical drama which is based on his rise to fame up until his death in 1981, is directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green, produced in partnership with the Marley family, and stars Kingsley Ben-Adir and Lashana Lynch.
And Caymanian filmmaker, director and screenwriter, Frank E. Flowers, co-wrote the screenplay with US writer, and TV and film producer, Terence Winter.
Ahead of the premiere, the writing duo spoke to the Compass about how they helped to bring Marley’s story to the big screen.
‘A lifelong dream’
Flowers revealed the story was first pitched 18 years ago, in a different studio and with an entirely different team.
“Being from the Caribbean, Bob holds a special place in our hearts. We all grew up with Bob and there’s a reverence for the man himself. It was a lifelong dream, and it was at the same time, something I wasn’t ready to be a part of… that the world wasn’t ready for this movie.”
He added, “When I read five years ago that Ziggy (Bob Marley’s son) was ready to tell the story, and bring his father’s legacy to the screen, that gave me the confidence to say OK, now is the time, the world is ready.”
Flowers said, “The thing about Ziggy is he is such a pure soul, he is such a visionary, and when he believes, there’s no hesitation, so any nervousness, unworthiness, all that goes out of the window. You sit with him and you feel his passion, humility and grace for this story. There is no doubt that somehow this was going to get made.”
Winter, a longtime friend of Flowers, recalled when Flowers “graciously” invited him to be a part of the process. “There wasn’t a [second] of hesitation. He didn’t even finish the sentence, and I was like, ‘Absolutely’. It’s iconic. Marley means so much to so many people, it was an honour to be able to tell his story.”
In 2018, that process started.
As co-writers, Flowers said the two began pitching the movie, “sitting with the creatives, especially with Ziggy in his living room, all those days, hearing stories, working out the beats of the film, but also really connecting to the spirit of Bob, his message, and his movement and what he meant to people”.
A seamless process
It’s not the first time the two have worked together on a project. Flowers was a writer on the Lebron James biopic, ‘Shooting Stars’, on Peacock last year, which Winter and his wife helped to produce.
As for the Marley project, Winter called Flowers a ‘guiding light’ through the whole process.
“I was always a huge fan of his, and this process was just seamless, he was so easy. He was the ‘Bob whisperer’. He worked with me to shape this film. It was a really easy, fun process. He gave me all the books to read.”
Flowers said, “I thank God I was able to link with people like Terence, like the Marley family, in telling stories like this.”
‘Wanted to get this right’
In telling the story of the legendary reggae singer, guitarist and songwriter, Winter said it was important to “really get this right”.
“Having the ability to sit and talk to Ziggy, and the family, and the people who lived with him and loved him and spent all that time with him, we knew we were in good hands in… keeping us on track in terms of authenticity,” Winter said.
Even on set, he said, Ziggy Marley, who served as the film’s most hands-on producer, “was there all the time”, as were friends of Bob and other family members “who would say he’d say it this way, or this gesture; we had the ability to keep it as authentic as possible”.
Icing on the cake
Ahead of its upcoming worldwide release, on 23 Jan. Jamaica was the first to see the one-hour-and-45-minute-long film, which tells the powerful story of the reggae superstar, who inspired generations through his music and thought-provoking messages of love and unity. The cast, crew and lovers of the film then made their way over to London to celebrate the UK premiere of the biopic.
Flowers and Winter attended the Los Angeles premiere, which was held on Bob Marley’s birthday, 6 Feb. Also at the opening were Ziggy Marley, his wife Orley, and their children; actors from the film; and a host of celebrities.
Flowers said he was honoured and privileged to play even a small part in adding to Bob Marley’s legacy. “It was a beautiful movie. This is a movie, really for the people, so to see it in a packed house, in an audience, you can really feel the vibe,” he said.
He added, “You come out of so many premieres, and there’s a professional courtesy, it’s one of the things you’ve got to do. But this felt like everyone came out, full of joy and the energy coming out of the theatre was just… I never felt anything like it, and it was amazing to see. We were seated in the section with all the men that played in the band, so it was an extra level of hype to hear them say, ‘Rastafari!’”
Winter said the real satisfaction was the culmination of an incredible five-year odyssey. “Sitting at the premiere was probably the high point,” he said. “At the end of the movie, when you see those names, every single one of those people has a job, and it’s important, and it’s all part of the team that made this thing.
“The work is great, it’s fun, and we’re privileged to do it, but … being able to share it with the people that made it happen, is the icing on the cake.”
‘Beyond a standard biopic’
For those who will get to see the film on the big screen, Winter said, you’ll get a peek behind the curtain.
“We all know Bob as the international superstar, and you get a real intimate, artistic process, which is always fascinating, and just to see that mind at work, and also the understanding that it’s not about record sales, it’s about the message.
“The music was the vehicle… the conduit for the message. The message came first, and you really see that and feel it. For those who don’t know, you’ll take away a deeper understanding of the man and the music.”
Many will be surprised by the “spiritual connection and intimacy” of this story, Flowers said.
“There’s a lot of little nuggets, little things that aren’t going to be spoon-fed to you, that, for those in the Caribbean, they’ll know. For other people, they’re gonna have to Google it, or they’re going to ask a friend, and that’s part of the enjoyment of film. Especially now, you can walk out of the theatre and you can do a deeper dive. You can watch it again with that understanding, and that’s why I think this movie is really special, and it’s going to hold up in that way.”
Flowers added the film goes beyond the standard biopic.
“It taps into to something higher… a calling, a message. Bob spent most of his days connecting with God and trying to reach out to people and preach this message of one love, and loving your neighbour, and breaking down the societal boundaries that separate people, and looking for peace,” he said.
Flower continued, “What Ziggy, I know, is most proud of is that the movie comes across as much as a message to love one another, live with each other in peace and harmony. I believe that as we’ve gotten to know Bob in our own way, that Bob would be proud that his message is being translated to a new medium for a new generation.”
Winter also noted the importance of bringing Marley’s legacy to the world.
“It’s amazing how this man transcended culture and ethnicity and division,” he said. “To do this movie, particularly in this time of insane division, things happen at the right time for a reason, and there is not a better time for this message to be put out to the world.”
Chances of seeing the film in Cayman on opening night might be slim as movie-goers have snapped up tickets. Camana Bay Cinema is already sold out for the Wednesday VIP showings.
Flowers said he’s excited to show Winter a true Caribbean and ‘Caymankind’ experience when they both arrive in Cayman to celebrate the film’s premiere with the local community.
It’s been 43 years since the passing of Bob Marley, but his memory lives on through his lyrics, family, and countless collectibles and music memorabilia. As Winter said, “Everybody has a connection to Bob Marley. Bob belongs to everybody. We’ve all got our song, our moment. It doesn’t matter where we are, everybody gets it, and everybody will understand ‘One Love’.”
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