The Faculty of Education recently hosted a discussion of John Fredericks’ autobiography Skollie and a once-off screening of his award-winning film Noem My Skollie on the Mowbray Campus.
Autographed copies of the book, which is published by Penguin Random House, as well as the film’s DVDs were on sale.
After the screening, Fredericks told the students and lecturers that by writing the book he wanted to rise above the stigma of gangsterism that had become part of his heritage. He is the scriptwriter of acclaimed documentaries including Mr Devious and Hard Living Kids.
Noem My Skollie, directed by Daryne Joshua, has been seen by over 90,000 people in cinemas acorss the country and has won many awards. Based on the 71-year old’s life, it portrays the story of four young boys who formed a gang only to end up in jail.
Fredericks told the students and lecturers about his interactions with criminal gangs in and out of prison during the 14 years in which he worked on the script. He also runs creative writing workshops for inmates in local prisons.
In response to a question from a student who wanted to know whether he was afraid of the gang leaders he hung out with, Fredericks said no because he was the one who looked for them and that they never looked for him.
Since the film’s release in September last year, he has been invited to speak at a number of schools and events.
