'Fire In Babylon' film scores big!

Jermaine Lannaman, Gleaner Writer

'Excellent', 'inspiring' and 'fun' were just some of the words that were used to describe the screening and international premiere of the documentary film Fire In Babylon: They Brought The World To Its Knees, And A Nation To Its Feet, which took place at the Courtleigh Auditorium, New Kingston, last Saturday.

The film, which was also used to officially launch the 2011 West Indies Digicel home series, depicts some of the struggles and triumphs of West Indies cricket teams during the 1970s and 1980s, and how the teams helped to unify and uplift the people of the region.

The Digicel Home Series, which starts next week, will feature World Cup beaten semi-finalists Pakistan, and World Cup-champions India.

"It was an excellent account of what we as West Indian cricketers encountered on and off the field during the period, and how our performances helped to inspire and motivate the people of the region in their fight for equal rights and justice," said former West Indies fast bowler Michael Holding, who played a lead role in the film, and was one of several past and present cricketers in attendance.

Others included Joel Garner, Jeffery Dujon, Lance Gibbs, Collin Croft and Chris Gayle.

Also sharing in the occasion were West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Vice-President Whycliffe Cameron; Youth, Culture and Sports Minister Olivia Grange; former Prime Minister Edward Seaga, Digicel Head of Marketing Donovan White; and Digicel CEO Mark Linehan.

"Prior to now, we have heard stories of the great West Indies teams and players of the past. So to now be able to see it literally firsthand, is quite motivating and uplifting, and I look forward to again watching it with other members of the team," said West Indies opener Gayle, who is expected to lead the team's batting throughout the series.

motivation

"One of the things we hope will come out of the watching of this film is that it will motivate members of our current West Indies teams to give of their very best at all times, and beginning with the series against Pakistan and India, demonstrate that they have what it takes to again be world beaters," said Linehan.

Produced against the backdrop of regional colonialism and apartheid around the world during the 1970s and 1980s, the 90-minute film pivots on the occurrence of the West Indies being humiliated in 1975 by fiery Australia, led by fast bowlers Dennis Lillee and Geof Thompson, and how the team evolved into being world champions thereafter.

This world-champion status stood until the mid-1990s, and included enviable records of World Cup triumphs in 1976 and 1979, losing the World Cup final to India in 1983, and not losing a Test match between 1980 and 1995.

Stevie Hargitay, whose film company Hargitay and Hargitay Pictures In Motion helped to produce the film, said he was overwhelmed with the response of the audience, who throughout the screening applauded and laughed, and at the end, gave a standing ovation.

"What we wanted to do was to tell the story of how the West Indies played during the period, and to get people to understand the importance of such an era in West Indies cricket," said Hargitay.

The documentary, which is produced by award-winning film-makers Charles Steel and John Battsek, will be shown as a precursor to matches in each country throughout the series.