'Juxon-Smith' Documentary

[juxonsmithdocumentary-blog]

Some screens grabs from footage filmed for the doc in Sierra Leone, January 2017. 

[juxonsmithdocumentary-blog]

Director of Photography, Omar Nasr, during a camera test at Arri for the upcoming shoot in Sierra Leone. Shooting will begin on the 16th of January. 

[juxonsmithdocumentary-blog]

Production locked in! Filming will continue in Freetown, Sierra Leone from the 14th of January - the 4th of February. More details to follow...

[juxonsmithdocumentary-blog]

Filming continues in New York. Solomon stands by a picture of his late mother Elizabeth Juxon-Smith, who passed in July of this year. Photo by our Director of Photography Omar Nasr.

[juxonsmithdocumentary-blog]

FUNDING SUCCESSFUL!!

We have reached our funding goal of £10,000! Thanks to all who donated and shared. It looks like we’re going to Sierra Leone!

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/499901078/juxon-smith

[juxonsmithdocumentary-blog]

35% Funded...7 Days left!

35% funded and 1 week of time left. Please donate and share the page. Thank you!

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/499901078/juxon-smith

[juxonsmithdocumentary-blog]

Juxon-Smith

A documentary following Solomon Juxon-Smith, as he looks into his father's forgotten leadership of Sierra Leone almost 50 years ago. https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/499901078/juxon-smith?ref=user_menu

Fundraising has begun! Donate now to help the project come to life. Share where possible too. Great rewards available - see link for more. Thanks!

[juxonsmithdocumentary-blog]

Filming Solomon and his family, New York, April 2016. 

Crew, right to left: Director of Photography; Omar Nasr, 2nd Camera; Tsubasa Matsumoto, Sound; Braulio Andres. 

[juxonsmithdocumentary-blog]

Kickstarter for ‘Juxon-Smith’ coming soon. Watch this space for more information…

[juxonsmithdocumentary-blog]

Solomon looks through his family’s private archives during filming. The documentary will be the first time the photographic archives of his father’s leadership will be made public. February 2016. 

[juxonsmithdocumentary-blog]

Filming with Solomon at his work in Manhattan. Stedicam operator Calvin Falk operates the Camera. April 2016.

[juxonsmithdocumentary-blog]

Historical Background

In the 1967 election, 6 years after Independence from Great Britain, the democratic system in Sierra Leone collapsed. Suspicions of vote fixing, corruption and unconstitutional law-making resulted in a violent climax between the two main parties. In an impromptu response the NRC (National Reformation Council) was formed by a small group of high ranking military officers in order to step in and seize control of the country, putting an end to the bloodshed. The NRC recalled their two highest ranking members who were both abroad - Amrbose Genda, and Andrew Juxon-Smith. Genda had initially been named by the council as the officer who would lead the country upon his return. But Juxon-Smith’s urgency to return quicker than Genda, his outstanding military record, and his mixed tribal background which would unite the country, suddenly made him favorite to become leader. Genda’s instructions were changed - do not return home.

Upon Juxon-Smith’s arrival in Freetown he declared Martial law - suspending the constitution and immediately starting work on what he believed to be the most important issues in Sierra Leone - corruption, the desperate state of the economy, and tribal discord. The coup was immediately unpopular with the public who believed it to be a gross over reaction by the military to suspend the democratic system that had been functioning until that point. Juxon- Smith also proved unpopular with civil servants and politicians. His archaic Sandhurst educated leadership style led him to walk through government offices every morning at 9:30am, firing every worker that was not there on time. What more, Juxon-Smith became reluctant to hand back power to the rightly victorious party as quickly as initially planned. 13 months into the coup, a counter coup was thrown by Junior officers and power was handed to Siaka Stevens - who started an 18 year reign over Sierra Leone, slowly deconstructing almost all that was good in the country. This was followed by years of unrest, leading into one of the most violent civil wars on record.

[juxonsmithdocumentary-blog]

Project Synopsis

When Solomon Juxon-Smith moved to New York in 1983 he didn’t speak about his past. Not until almost 15 years later when his father, Andrew's, obituary ran in the papers did Solomon’s friends and colleagues learn about his roots. For Solomon and his family the wounds of their past ran deep - better left buried so they could move on with their new life. But now, 20 years after his father’s death, Solomon has decided to confront the difficult truths of his past; how did his father become the leader of Sierra Leone for 13 months in 1967 – only to lose it all so abruptly.

[juxonsmithdocumentary-blog]

Andrew Juxon-Smith, Sierra Leone, circa 1962. Andrew would go on to be the countries leader during a military coup in 1967. His rule was ended only 13 months later by a counter coup. He is arguably the only uncorrupt leader in Sierra Leone’s independent history - this is something the documentary will explore. 

[juxonsmithdocumentary-blog]

Hello all! On this blog you will find information and updates relating to the 2017 documentary 'Juxon-Smith' (working title).