Justine Henzell's salute to a people

With one year to go before Jamaica celebrates its 50th year as a sovereign nation, filmmaker Justine Henzell was determined to make a statement to mark the momentous occasion.

One People: Out of Many, One Documentary is the title of the project undertaken by 1962 Productions, a company in which Henzell and Zachary Harding are partners. It was launched last Saturday, on the 49th anniversary of Jamaica's independence from Britain.

'One People' will be built around video submissions from Jamaicans and non-Jamaicans, expressing what impact the country has had on them. November 6 is the deadline for submissions, which will be ultimately edited down to a 90-minute documentary produced by Henzell.

Scottish film director Kevin MacDonald (The Last King of Scotland) is the documentary's executive producer.

"We wanted to develop a documentary that would be overwhelmingly positive, involve the diaspora and show Jamaica's global appeal," Henzell told The Gleaner.

"So you can hear what Jamaica means to the brain surgeon in New York whose parents are Jamaican but who has never been to Jamaica, or the Jamaican who has been driving a bus for 40 years in London," she added.

Henzell said 'One People' was inspired by Life In a Day, a 2010 YouTube documentary produced by MacDonald.

"I knew if I used a similar concept I could accomplish all my criteria," she said.

Henzell approached MacDonald about 'borrowing' his idea while he was in Jamaica in February, working on a documentary on reggae legend Bob Marley.

He not only gave 'One People' his blessing but agreed to be its executive producer.

The Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport has officially certified the documentary as a Jamaica-50 event.

One People: Out of Many, One Documentary is scheduled to be released on August 6, 2012 in Kingston, New York City, Toronto and London.