email print share on Facebook share on Twitter share on LinkedIn share on reddit pin on Pinterest

Yvonne Deutschman • Producer

One Love, when reggae meets gospel

by 

The English producer Yvonne Deutschman grew up in Québec, where she learnt rigour and perseverance, and in Jamaica, where she got used to balancing these qualities with a good measure of joie de vivre. Back in England after studying in Paris and travelling in Africa, she was one of the few female students accepted into the post-graduate film and TV course at Bristol University and then joined the BBC, where she worked for twelve years as a producer and director (which such successful series as Ebony), which did not prevent her from also working in theatre. Now that Yvonne Deutschman is independent (Montego Films), her ties with black culture and music have never been so obvious. After its great success in the Caribbean, where it was called 'Best Jamaican film ever' (for everybody there went to see it twice, says Yvonne), One Love, the award-winning Romeo and Juliet-like love story filmed by Rick Elgood and Don Letts and starring Ky-mani Marley (son of Bob himself) is about to be released in the UK (7/15) by Blue Dolphin. This film, produced by Yvonne, Shelaagh Ferrell, and the Norwegian producer Bjorn Eivind Aarskog for One Love Films Ltd. and Exposed/Euromax Productions, features songs by Sean Paul, Shaggy, and the great Bob Marley himself, a usually prohibitively expensive privilege granted Yvonne on account of her old friendship with the Marley family. Cineuropa met the passionate producer on the beach of the Croisette, during the Cannes Film Festival.

(The article continues below - Commercial information)

Did you become first an artist or a producer? When was Montego Films created?
I’ve wanted to make films since I was 16 years old. I attended film schools in Paris and in Bristol, England, and started as a BBC TV director making first documentaries and then drama. My dream was always to make feature films and One Love is my first one. I would have liked to have directed it, but I knew that I was the only person determined enough to raise the financing and see it through so that’s why I produced it. My company is called Montego Films (after Montego Bay in Jamaica) because I want to make films in Jamaica – there are so many original stories to tell and so much talent there. Jamaican music is world famous and music and film make a perfect marriage.

What is this movie about? How did the project start?
One Love is the story of a Rasta reggae musician who falls in love with the gospel-singing daughter of a Pentecostal preacher. In Jamaican these two communities live apart so the film shows how the power of music and love can transcend cultural and religious differences. The story of a Rasta (reggae) and a Christian (gospel) falling in love was my idea, and it created the perfect vehicle for lots of music!

How did you finance it and how long did it take?
It was largely financed by the UK Film Council and a UK tax-driven film fund (Baker Street Media Finance). It was a co-production with Norway because their Co-Production Treaty allowed Jamaica as part of the Commonwealth to qualify as 'British'. Most other European Treaties do not include the Commonwealth countries. It took 2 years to raise the financing.

Where else in Europe has One Love found distributors?
It was released in Benelux earlier this year. We’ve had interest from France and Italy but I think everyone is waiting to see how it succeeds on its UK theatrical release on the 15th of July.

Do you like working in co-production? Do you find it easy to collaborate with European partners?
Our Norwegian co-producers and the Norwegian camera crew were absolutely fantastic. Very professional and the cinematography is stunning, thanks to their DOP, John Christian Roselund. Of course there’s a lot of paperwork & permissions to obtain but we found the authorities on both sides very helpful and co-operative.

How is your next project going? Was the Cannes Film Market fruitful?
My next film is a supernatural romantic thriller called White Witch inspired by a true story of a beautiful young woman plantation owner in Jamaica. People are describing it as Gone With The Wind meets Angel Heart. Cannes Film Festival was very good to make contact with the distributors and buyers. I am directing this one!

What great movie would you like to have produced or directed?
I would have loved to have directed Gone With The Wind.

(The article continues below - Commercial information)

Did you enjoy reading this article? Please subscribe to our newsletter to receive more stories like this directly in your inbox.

Privacy Policy