ESCAPE TO LAST MAN PEAK
An adaptation of Jean D’Costa's iconic 1975 novel
In a land ravaged by 'The Sickness’, desolation and despair, 10 orphans find hope and strength in each other, and attempt the perilous journey to seek refuge at Last Man Peak.
In this coming-of-age drama/adventure set in a dystopian Jamaica, the young outcasts battle unfamiliar terrain and a world where adults become the enemy.
Genre: Coming-of-Age/Adventure/Drama
Format: Feature Film (Live-Action)
Accolades: 2021 SFFilm Rainin Grant Finalist
Shortlisted for the 2nd stage of the 2019 Sundance Institute Feature Film Development Track
Advanced to 2nd round for consideration of Cinemart 2021 film market of the International Film Festival of Rotterdam (IFFR)
Story Overview
Escape to Last Man Peak, is based on the novel of the same name by acclaimed Jamaican writer, Jean D’Costa. It was one of the first works where many Caribbean children found a mirror reflecting their multicultural world, as normal. Jamaica’s motto is Out of Many One People and Escape to Last Man Peak is a microcosm of that. More so, its story of strength in the face of adversity, of the small overcoming the strong.
Outcasts, these children present a diverse tapestry of age, race and personalities. By pitting these forgotten children against a world much larger than them, and an illness they cannot control, Escape to Last Man Peak embodies the trait most Jamaicans are most proud of – being little but ‘tallawah’ (strong).
The Story
Set in a dystopian Jamaica, the land is ravaged by an extremely virulent and often fatal form of pneumonia, simply called “the sickness”. The sickness is spreading. Hundreds of thousands, mostly adults, have already died, especially in the Jamaican city metropolises of Kingston and Spanish Town. As myth and rumor spreads, and violence, fear and disorder take over the country, ten young orphans are forced from their home to escape imprisonment at a labour camp and set off on a dangerous cross-country journey to try to find refuge at Last Man Peak. To survive, they battle a daunting terrain, their inner fears and past traumas, and the very adults who should have protected them.
Press
Escape to Last Man Peak headed to big screen as family friendly flick | Loop News (loopjamaica.com)