Mel Cooke, Freelance Writer

Jeanille Bonterre - photos by Winston Sill/Freelance Photographer

Ahead of Monday night's premiere of the cricket drama, Hit For Six, at Carib 5, Cross Roads, Jeanille Bonterre was like a cricketer who had finally reached the Test level. Happy to be in the big leagues, but aware of intense scrutiny of every stroke, every catch and even the angle of the cap.

"I don't get nervous. I have sort of grown up in the industry. Today, in Kingston I am nervous. It is an exciting kind of nervous I have so much respect for the Jamaican film audience ... You have to come good to impress a yardie," she told The Gleaner at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel, New Kingston, earlier that day.

Already familiar on screen as a presenter with MTV Reggae Tempo, Bonterre takes on the role of Astrid, a star cricketer's long-time girlfriend.

"Jamaica has really led the way in the English-speaking Caribbean. For me and other people in the Caribbean, Jamaica is the place that we look to, Harder They Come, Third World Cop. For Trinidad and Barbados to be on the map in the same way it is a privilege. If you can rate it we are on the map," Bonterre said.

Bonterre, who is from Trinidad, got her chance at the acting wicket through Jamaican, Richard Lannaman, with whom she had worked as a production assistant on Westwood Park, and made her casting strokes in New York city, in itself a melting pot of Caribbean nationals.

"Acting is a private desire that I have always had, but the Caribbean film industry is still in its embryonic stage. I never thought I would be able to act in a feature anytime soon," Bonterre said.

She described Astrid as "a soca superstar from Trinidad who is involved with (cricketer) Alex Nelson. They have had this intimate affair going on for sometime".

Deeply committed

Jeanille Bonterre intends to make a splash in acting.

While Astrid is deeply committed, "he is the typical athlete/playboy. It is a parallel to what happens in the Caribbean. She was involved with the coach and Alex had pried her away. She fell in love with him, the energy, the strength of a powerful person".

However, as a popular cricket competition format, the triangular nature of the relationship continues, as Alex is "getting into a love affair with Janelle, a sports reporter. She is a stable person, and a cricket fan, and has followed the game for sometime".

"The dynamic is a lot different and they can understand each other," Bonterre said. "Astrid is aware of this and it makes her totally insecure."

This insecurity in the game of love does not apply to Astrid's general life. "Astrid is very complex. I have to congratulate the producer and director for giving Astrid more dimension than a crazy woman in love with her man," Bonterre said. She said the character was reflective of the "independent, career-driven young woman from the Caribbean, who is in love with her man, but does not give up her career. Her personality has different layers, from star to vulnerable woman to star again".

And Bonterre laughed as she said she did a little singing in Hit For Six and quipped, "Feel free to give Beres Hammond my number."

Following the traditional Test trek through hallowed Caribbean cricket grounds, Monday's premiere came after a debut in Barbados, where Bonterre won Best Actress; Lannaman, Best Cinematography; and Hit For Six, Best Movie at the Bridgetown Film Festival. The next stop is Trinidad at the end of the month.

And she hopes that this will be the start of Jamaica's deeper involvement in film in the region. "I want them to look at the rest of the Caribbean for the industry. A Caribbean film industry, a Caribbean sound stage," Bonterre said.

As for herself, Jeanille Bonterre said, "After this experience I would love another to put under my belt. I am pursuing acting now."