Romola Lucas
Romola Lucas is an attorney, adjunct, and film producer who hails from Klien Pouderoyen on the West Bank Demerara in Guyana, South America. She attended St. Gabriel’s Primary School, then The Bishops’ High School before moving on to Rose’s High School. She attended the University of Guyana (UG) for two years where she began her studies in Geography, then in 1990, migrated to the United States, specifically Washington, DC.
In 1992, Romola earned her associate degree in Marine Science, then in 1995, a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science, both from the University of the District of Columbia (UDC). While attending UDC, she worked at McDonald’s to pay for her education. She was later afforded the opportunity of honors and basketball scholarship to pay off for school undergraduate education. She played basketball for three years representing her school until graduation in 1995.
In 1995, Romola moved from Washington, DC to New York, and in 1997, began attending The City University of New York Graduate Center where she spent six years in the doctorate program for Earth and Environmental Science before quitting. During these years, she taught Regents Earth Science at a High School in New York.
In preparing for her profession as an attorney, in 2006, Romola graduated from Howard University School of Law. Following graduation, from 2006 – 2009, she began working with Reed Smith Law Firm in Philadelphia and upon leaving this firm, she established her own company, Law Office of Romola O. Lucas.
In 2013, Romola earned a master’s degree in Tax Law from Temple University, and while there, she worked as a freelance attorney in New York. She commuted between Philadelphia and New York twice weekly to accommodate her schedules. Her practice includes contract review, drafting and negotiation, estate planning and probate, business and non-profit formation, and real estate in artist, senior and LGBTQI communities.
Romola is involved in the film industry. In 2012, she became the co-founder the Caribbean Film Academy (CaFA), a New York non-profit company that deals with exhibition, production, and the distribution of Caribbean films. Through her work with CaFA, she produces films by filmmakers in the Caribbean and distributes Caribbean films through CaFA’s online platform, Studio Anansi. In 2013, her first film, The Croft, was produced in Jamaica and directed by Wayne Benjamin.
Romola’s interest in the film industry stemmed from her desire to see Caribbean films, and her thought that others may want to see them, too. The plan that followed was the introduction of a meetup group that eventually led to researching a couple of films that were found through the film distribution company, Caribbean Tales. From 2012 to 2015, Caribbean Cinema Nights were held at Nicholas Variety Store in the Flatbush area in Brooklyn where films were screened once a month.
In 2014, Studio Anansi TV was launched, and in 2015, the Caribbean Film Project was launched and four short films were produced. The first film, Adero was produced in Guyana and directed by Kojo McPherson. The second, Oseyi, and The Masqueraders was produced in Dominica and directed by Alwin Bully. The third, Jeb was produced in St. Kitts & the Nevis, and directed by Klieon John, and the fourth, Essequibo Rapture was produced in Guyana and directed by Karen Chapman.
In 2016, Timerhi Film Festival was launched in Guyana. This festival caters to Guyanese and Caribbean Films and screenings are held at two venues: Moray House and Dutch Bottle Café in Georgetown. Once screenings are completed, a few prisons and one juvenile detention center are afforded the opportunity to see some of these films.
In 2016, Third Horizon Film Festival in Miami was launched. This Caribbean Film Festival allows for the screening of Avant Garde Caribbean films. The first three years of operation was mainly in Miami, then in 2019, New York and Los Angeles were added. This year, CaFA and Third Horizon Media (from a previous connection that began in 2013) merged and is now called Third Horizon. At Third Horizon, there are three areas of focus: exhibition; production and distribution. This year, her first music video, I Am 592 that she directed featuring Guyanese singer, Vanilla was released.
Romola’s work has not gone unnoticed. She is the recipient of awards and grants. In 2016, the Guyana Cultural Association of New York Inc. acknowledged her contribution for the upkeep of Guyanese arts and culture in the film industry. In 2019, the Caribbean Life Newspaper recognized her for the work she is doing in the Caribbean community. Third Horizon, of which she is the Co-Executive Director and Board Chair, has been awarded two grants by the Knight Foundation and Ford Foundation to continue the work that began with CaFA.
Currently, Romola has scaled back her law practice and now works only a referral basis. She spends most of her time working for Third Horizon and teaching an online course, Environmental Health at Bronx Community College where she has worked since 2017.