The team behind Jamaican film Stew Peas is celebrating more than a successful red-carpet première. Following its June 27 world première at Carib 5 in Cross Roads, the suspense thriller has secured release in cinemas across all three Palace Amusement cinemas Carib 5 in Cross Roads, Palace Cineplex at Sovereign Centre, and Sunshine Palace Cinema in Portmore, beginning July 22, marking another major milestone for Jamaica’s growing film industry.

For award-winning film-maker Sosiessa Nixon-Kelly, who directed the psychological thriller, the première was both an emotional and validating experience, particularly as audiences embraced the story’s layered themes and unexpected twists.

“Overall, I’m very, very, very grateful that so many people turned out. It was an overwhelming feeling to see everybody reacting to the film when it was being played,” Nixon-Kelly said on Tuesday following the première.