About the Film
The documentary Out There Without Fear explores the cultural impact of Jamaica’s Dancehall dancers. Topics include art, dance, classism, violence, sexuality, the church, and Blackness. This 45-minute film features interviews with leading Jamaican academics, street dancers, dance advocates, and Rastafarian leaders. Voices include literary scholar Dr. Carolyn Cooper, choreographer Latonya Style, popular dancer Kool Kid, lecturer Maria Hitchins, musicologist Herbie Miller, and members of the church. The film is available in English with Spanish subtitles. It has already been watched and discussed across several universities in the USA and cultural centers, conferences, and classrooms in China, the Dominican Republic, Senegal, Jamaica, Canada, and other countries.
Free and Open to the Public
About the Director
Joelle Simone Powe is an accomplished documentary film director, writer, and researcher from Jamaica. Her work explores controversial personalities and topics in Caribbean history and culture. Her debut documentary, "Out There Without Fear," explores Jamaica’s Dancehall dance and the role of class, race, and gender in the dancehall scene. Her subsequent work, "Beverley Manley Uncensored," a four-part docu-series on the former First Lady of Jamaica, created a national storm with its exploration of a very vexing time in Jamaican history. Powe's documentaries have been screened in Africa, Europe, the Caribbean, and the Americas, with significant presentations at notable academic and cultural institutions. Joelle is also the producer of "ButSeeYa," a mini-documentary series that explores provocative opinions on Caribbean society. Recognized as a "30 Under 30 Changemaker" by the Institute of Caribbean Studies in 2021, Powe holds a BA in Anthropology from Bard College. Her work strives to illuminate the complexities of Caribbean culture for international audiences through a multi-media approach.
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