North East filmmakers bring movie about Cimarons to Tyneside for Black History Month celebrations

A documentary by two North East filmmakers is appearing in cinemas across the country including at the Tyneside Cinema.

'Harder than a Rock' tells the story of Britain's first reggae band, The Cimarons, and is being shown as part of Black History Month.

It is from the North East-based production companies Margot Films and J6 Films, which worked with the cinematographer Mark Warmington.

The film's release follows its world premiere earlier this year at the Sheffield DocFest where it received a standing ovation from the crowd.

The Cimarons were created by a group of teenage Jamaican immigrants in London in 1967, and were at the forefront of the reggae explosion in Britain in the 1970s.

Throughout their career the group collaborated with the likes of Bob Marley, Jimmy Cliff, and Sir Paul McCartney.

Despite this, according to the filmmaker, the Cimarons have been largely under-recognised.

Speaking to ITV News Tyne Tees, Mark Warmington said the film being made was a 'happy accident.'

"I was introduced to a guitar player called Locksley Gichie about four and a half years ago who was the guitarist in the Cimarons who told me all these amazing stories about the band's history, what they'd done, and I couldn't believe I'd never heard of them.

"They're massively under-recognised. Their importance in not just reggae but British music culture,. They're a really important band and most people have never heard of them. I guess that's why I wanted to make the film, to right that wrong of that recognition."

Michael Arkk from the band added that making the film was 'fun' and said: "It was my first time doing a thing like this so I had a great time."

'Harder Than The Rock' has support from the BFI Doc Society, National Lottery award funding, and NE Screen.

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