2022 marks Jamaica’s  60th anniversary of independence, and the Rio Theatre is paying tribute to that milestone with a very special #MusicMonday double bill featuring the acclaimed documentary STUDIO 17: THE LOST REGGAE TAPES (with filmmakers in attendance for Q&A!) and a 50th Anniversary screening of the groundbreaking cult-classic, THE HARDER THEY COME.

A hit on British TV and at select film festivals prior to the pandemic, documentary STUDIO 17: THE LOST REGGAE TAPES opens a fascinating door into the creation of a musical form that changed the sound of popular music around the world, and throws fresh light on the colourful but often impoverished lives of the artists and musicians who created it.

In downtown Kingston, Jamaica, in the early 60s, Vincent and Pat Chin—a Chinese Jamaican husband-and-wife team—started a tiny used record shop. Little did they know their venture would grow into Studio 17: a groundbreaking recording studio and production company that launched the careers of iconic reggae musicians such as Bob Marley and the Wailers, Lee “Scratch” Perry, Peter Tosh, and many more. Decades later, original studio tapes from the golden age of reggae have been unearthed, providing the soundtrack to this soulful music doc produced by London-based music journalist Reshma B. Vincent and Pat’s son and protégé, Clive Chin, recounts poignant stories from the birth of the Jamaican music industry to the 1970s political turmoil that forced the Chin family to flee to New York, as well as the still-unsolved 2011 murder of his son, music label director Joel Chin. This nostalgic treasure trove of music and stories charts the rise of reggae from its humble roots to one of the most popular music genres in the world.

Featuring original interviews with iconic figures like Jimmy Cliff, Lee “Scratch” Perry, Sly Dunbar, Maxi Priest, Ali Campbell of UB40, King Jammy, Lord Creator, Ernest Ranglin, trombonist Rico Rodriguez, and producer Bunny Lee.

“One of my favourite documentaries right now.  It’s documentaries like this that bring us closer to the music”  (Quincy Jones, via Forbes Magazine)

“Such a well constructed film that it almost works as a piece of music in its own right, the bass lines interweaving with endless bravura Jamaican anecdotalising to create a steady, intoxicating flow of impressions and events.” (The Arts Desk)

“One of the finest reggae documentaries ever made” (John Masouri, Echoes)

“A magical piece of work…fascinating insight into the earliest
period of the music” (BBC 1Xtra)

Filmmakers – including music journalist Reshma B, Waël Kabbani, and director Mark James – in attendance for Q&A.

#MusicMonday, September 5
Doors 6:00 pm | Movie 6:30 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time.
Advance tickets available HERE

Why not make it a #MusicMonday double feature with THE HARDER THEY COME at 9:00 pm for one sweet price? Double bill tickets available HERE

Saturday, September 10 Encore Screening!
Doors 3:30 pm | Movie 4:00 pm *Start time subject to change. Please arrive on time
Advance tickets HERE
Filmmakers in attendance for the September 5 screening only.

*Minors permitted. Must be 19+ w/ID for bar service. Rio Theatre Groupons and passes OK for any single film screening only. Please redeem at the box office.
*Online sales for every screening end an hourbefore showtime. Unless otherwise noted, tickets are available for purchase at the box office.
*If you are looking to redeem your tickets to either a canceled Rio Theatre screening or a Rio Theatre gift certificate, please email <[email protected]> with info including your name, canceled receipt number, gift certificate info, what you are wanting to see and when, and we can make the switch for you in advance. Alternately, you can bring this information with you to the venue, and we will do our best to help you at the box office.

STUDIO 17: THE LOST REGGAE TAPES (Mark James, 2019 / G / 90 mins) A newly discovered treasure trove of tapes from Studio 17, or Randy’s located in downtown Kingston Jamaica, is the starting point for this remarkable story about a Chinese Jamaican family who helped create the music we now know as reggae.