An early holiday gift for the Cincinnati film industry

Sweet Jones, played by Robert Jones, knows he has been cornered and must think fast if he plans to escape alive.  In the film, Grandpa, Jones’s character is faced with deadly gunfire, federal agents breathing down his neck and many personal moral dilemmas. Provided

By Nahamani Yisrael

Herald Contributor

Filmmakers, large and small, have found that the historic backdrop of the Queen City makes the perfect canvas for their craft. Grandpa, the latest film to be produced in City of Cincinnati, recently turned The Greenwich into a private haven for a gangster named Sweet Jones.

Independent filmmaker Robert Jones of Old School Productions has created a cinematic gem for the holiday season. Jones wrapped an early Christmas present for the Cincinnati film industry just in time for the holidays. His film, Grandpa, the movie, was filmed in the Queen City from April through early November. A screening of the film’s trailer will be unveiled as an early holiday gift for those attending the Grandpa Christmas Party hosted by The Greenwich at 2442 Gilbert Ave. (45206) on Wednesday December 20, at 7 p.m.

Production of this dramatic film has concluded and film director, Lee Zellars of RozMary Basement Flicks, has moved the film into post-production editing. In the film, Sweet Jones, played by Robert Jones himself, transitions from a cutthroat gangster with strong opinions on the state of the Black community into a lovable and protective grandfather. The story line includes traditional gangster activity including an intense shootout, crooked cops and beautiful ladies of the night. Jones contrasts the differences between old school gangsters and modern day thugs through a variety of intense interactions between the two subcultures. Jones’ disdain for the latter is evident as he speaks out against the thug’s lack of respect for women and the degradation of the Black community by “pant-sagging, no good thugs.’’

The film, scheduled to be released in early 2018, features a host of respected members of the local film scene including Linda Kinamore Brown, Reginald Willis, Michael Shooner, Debra Hunter as well as a cameo from Enoch “Dj Maserati Noc” Morgan.

Grandpa is slated to incite the local film industry with its controversial subject matter and depiction of what a true gangster goes through on a day-to-day basis.

The cast and crew of the film will be in attendance at the Grandpa Christmas Party and Jones hopes to attract major attention from the film industry by releasing Grandpa to various film festivals both locally and nationwide. The Cincinnati filmmaker’s industry continues to generate award-winning productions among the seven hills that make up the Greater Cincinnati area. The tale of Grandpa is expected to continue the legacy of creating edge-of-your-seat film footage here at home.