Tanya Hamilton (“Night Catches On”) is set to direct a new co-production from HBO and the U.K.’s Channel 4, a six-part drama series set primarily in Kingston, Jamaica. According to a press release, “Get Millie Black” tells the story of Millie-Jean Black (Tamara Lawrance, “Kindred”), a former Scotland Yard police detective who returns to the country of her birth, Jamaica, to work missing persons cases.
Back home, she reconnects with sister Hibiscus (newcomer Chyna McQueen), a member of “a band of queer outcasts living hand-to-mouth yet exuberantly in the gullies that run throughout Kingston,” and partners up with Curtis (Gershwyn Eustache Jnr), a gay cop whose career path is limited. But when British detective Luke Holborn (Joe Dempsie) shows up, his presence proves to be “triggering in all sorts of ways” as Millie attempts to solve a case that will blow up her world.
Production is expected to begin imminently in Jamaica.
The series is created and executive produced by award winning Jamaican novelist Marlon James (“A Brief History of Seven Killings”), who noted that “this is the first major international TV show to put my home country, Jamaica, center stage, so it’s beyond awesome to have actual world-class Jamaican talent both in front and behind the camera, with our star Tamara Lawrance and director Tanya Hamilton.”
Hamilton will also co-executive produce, while Theresa Ikoko (“Rocks”) and Lydia Adetunji (“Noughts + Crosses,” “His Dark Materials”) are among the credited writers.
Lawrance won a Royal Television Award for her performance in “The Long Song” and was nominated for a BAFTA Award, Scotland for “Kindred.” She will next be seen in “The Silent Twins,” which she also co-executive produced. The Agnieszka Smoczynska-directed film will premiere at this month’s Cannes Film Festival.
Hamilton’s “Night Catches On” was nominated for the Grand Jury Prize (Dramatic) at Sundance Film Festival. She has numerous TV directing credits, including “Queen Sugar,” “American Crime,” and most recently “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty.” She received an award in recognition of her vision and talent as an exemplary director at the 2011 Athena Film Festival.
