Sky Arts have picked up Mark Warmington’s feature documentary, Harder Than the Rock: The Cimarons Story. It will air on Sky Arts on Friday the 18th of October at 10pm.
The film made its world premiere at the prestigious Sheffield Documentary Festival this year on the 15th of June at the Crucible Theatre. A Margot Films/J6 Films production, the film was theatrically released this Autumn nationwide via distribution from J6 & Source Entertainment, to acclaimed reviews and national press coverage.
Mark Kermode described it as “An infectiously engaging and very moving rhapsody for the groundbreaking rebels dubbed ‘the backbone of British reggae’.”
Daniel Dylan Wray wrote in the Guardian “As the documentary captures with real warmth, tenderness and humour, the band are lovingly back together.”
Harder Than the Rock chronicles the incredible journey of Britain’s first reggae band, Cimarons. Formed by teenage Jamaican immigrants in a London bus shelter in 1967. Cimarons were at the forefront of the reggae explosion in the 1970s. Thousands of miles from Jamaica, they brought excitement, experimentation, and sheer anticipation to Black British youth, connecting them to their roots and identity through powerful music. The Cimarons collaborated with industry legends such as Bob Marley, Toots & the Maytals, Jimmy Cliff, Lee ‘Scratch’ Perry, and even Paul McCartney. Despite their significant contributions, the band has been largely under-recognised for their music, impact, and legacy. The film poignantly captures their history and follows their final chapter as they dream of performing, one last time.
Mark Warmington, the director of Harder Than the Rock said: “I’m thrilled that the film has been acquired by Sky Arts, the UK’s leading platform dedicated to arts programming. I want to say a huge thank you to all who have supported the film and Cimarons for entrusting me to tell their story; I’m delighted that they are finally receiving some long overdue recognition.”
James Baxter, the producer, added: “It’s been an absolute pleasure working on this with Mark. His passion and commitment to get this film over the line has been unwavering. We feel Sky Arts is its perfect home for the film and can’t wait for the UK audience to the discover this untold story of Cimarons.’’
For more information, press inquiries, or interview requests, please contact: J6 Films at james@j6films.co.uk
