Told through a young grandson and the rum-loosened recollections of his grandfather “Cold Rice”, SMILE unravels the strange mystery behind a damaged burglar bar on the family home — and the accidental chain of events that cost Cold Rice his sense of taste and his dignity.
Comedy, drama
Jamaica
2026
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Film synopsis
A story of inheritance and false teeth
Comedy, drama
One damaged burglar bar.
One night of sweet rum.
One family story nobody agrees on.
Smile is a hilarious and heartfelt generational family drama rooted in the chaotic memories of the Morris household. Told through the perspective of a young grandson and the recollections of his elusive grandfather — affectionately known as “Cold Rice” — the film unravels the strange mystery behind a damaged burglar bar on the family home. smileisahilariousan dhearTFELTGENERATIONALFAMILYDRAMARootedinthec ha otiCMEMORIESOFTHEMORRISHOUSEHOLDTOLDTHROUghthep er sp ecTIVEOFAYOUNGGRANDSONAndthere collecti oNs oFHISELUSIVEGRANDFAthe raffecti onATe lYKNOWNASCOLDRICEth efilMUNRAVELSTh esTRAn gEMYSTERYBEHINDad am aGEDBURGLARBAr onTHEFa m ILYHOMESMILEISa hiLAr iOUSANDHEARTFe lTGENEr ATIONALFAMILYd raMAROo tEDInTHECHAOT iCMEMOr iESOFTHEMORRIs hOUSEHOL DTO LDTHROUg HTHEPEr sPECTIVEOFAYo uNGGRANDSo nANdTHERECo LLECTIo nsofHISelus iVEGRANDFATh eRAFFECTION aTELYKNOWN aSCOLDRi cETHEFILMUNRAVel s tHESTRANGEmy sTERYBEHINDa DAMAGEDB uRGLARBa roNTHEFAMILYHOMESMIl eISAHILARIou sANDHEARTFELTg eNERATI ONALFAm iLYDRAMAROOTEDINTHECHAot iCMEMORIEso fTHEMORRISHOUSE hoLdt OLDTHRo ughTHEPERSPECTIVEOFAYOUNGGraNDSONANDth eRECOLLECTIONSOFh ISELUSi veGRANDFATHERAFFECTIONATELYKNo wNASCOLDRICETHEFIL mUNRAVe lSthe stRANGEMYSTERYBEHINDAda maGEDbURGLARBARONTHEf aMILYHo mESMILei sahilARIOUsandh eaRTFELt GENERATIONALFA mILYDRa MAROOTEDInt hecHAOTICMEM oRIESOFTHEMORr iSHOUSe hOLDTOLDTHROUGhtheperspECTIVEOFAYOUNGGr ANDSONANDTHe rECOLLe cTIONSOFHISELUSIVEGRANDFATHERAFFECTIONATELYKNOWNASc oLDRICe THE FILMUNRAVELSTHESTRANGEMYSTERYBEh inDADAMAGEDb uRGLARBa RONthEFAMILYHoMESMILEISAHILARIOUSAN dheARTFel tGENERAt iONAlFAMILYDRaMAROOTEDINTHECHAOTICm em oRIESOFt h eMORRISHOUSEHoLDTOLDTHROUGHTHEPERSp eCTIVEOf a yOUNGGRANDSON ANDTHERECOLLECTIONSo fHISELUs i vEGRANDFATHE rAFFECTIONATELYKNOWn aSCOLDRi ce tHEFILMUNRAV eLSTHESTRANGEMYSTEr yBEHINDa da mAGEDBURGLAr BARONTHEFAMILYHOM eSMILEI sa hiLARIo uSAnDHEARTFELTGENERA tIONALf Am ily dRAMAROOTEDINTHEc HAOTICm eMo riESOFTHEMORRi sHOUSEHo lDt oldTHROug hTHEPERs PEc tiveofa yOUNGGRa nDSo nANDTHERECol lECTIONs oFHi sELUSIVEGRANDFAt hERaffEc TION aTELYkn owNASCOLDRICETHEf ILMUnRA vELSTh estr aNGEMYSTe ry BEHINDADAMAGEd bURGLARb aRONTH eFAMILYh oMESMILEISAh i lARIOUSANDHEA rTFELTGe NERATIo nAlfAMILYDr aMaROOTEDINTHec hAOTICMEMORi eSOFTHEm oRRISHOUs eHo LDTOLDTHR oUghTHEPERSPECTi VEOFAYOUNGg rANDSONAn dTHERECOLl ectIONSOFHISELU sIVEGRANDFATh ERAFFECTi oNATELYk nOWNASCOLDr iCETHEFILMUNRa vELSTHESTRANgeMYSTERy bEHINDADa mAGEDBURGLa RBARONTHEFAMiLYHOMESMILEISAHILAr ioUSANDHEa rTFELTGENERAt iONALFAMILYDRAMAROOTEDINTHEch aoTICMEMORi eSOFTHEMORRISHo uSEHOLDTOLDTHROUGHTHEPer spECTIveofAy oUNGGRANDSONANDTh erECOLLECTIONSOFhis elUSIVEGRanDFa tHERAFFECTIONATELyk nownasco ldRICETHEFILMUn rAVELSTHESTRANGEMYSTeryb ehindaDAMAGEDBURGLARBa rONTHEFAMILYHOMESMILEISAHILARIOUSANDHEARTFELTGENe RATIONALFAMILYDRAMAROOTEDINTHECHAOTICMEMORIESo fTHEMORRISHOUSEHOLDTOLDTHROUGHTHEPERSPECTIve oFAYOUNGGRANDSONANDTHERECOLLECTIONSOFHIse lUSIVEGRANDFATHERAFFECTIONATELYKNOWna sCOLDRICETHEFILMUNRAVELSTHESTRAng emYSTERYBEHINDADAMAGEDBURgla rbaRONTHEFAMILYHOMEsmi leisahilarious andh
What appears to be a simple “mash up grill” becomes the entry point into a layered family history filled with humour, rum-fuelled confessions, and long-buried truths. The story transports us to a night in a rum bar, where Cold Rice and his talkative companion Byron engage in an increasingly unfiltered exchange as sweet rum loosens tongues and lowers inhibitions.
Between laughter, chaos, and unintended revelations, we uncover marital tensions, personal regrets, and the accidental chain of events that left the family burglar bar forever altered — along with Cold Rice’s sense of taste and dignity.
Blending absurd comedy with nostalgic storytelling, Smile turns a small household mystery into a vivid portrait of family lore and Jamaican life.
A serious man of few words — until the spirits get to him.
We’re introduced to our main character Cold Rice. A married truck driver in his late 30’s. A serious man of a few words that loosens up while under the spirits. He works extremely hard and copes with the stress of the job by drinking his sorrows away with his loyal drinking buddy Byron.
He’s grown comfortable and uninterested in his marriage to Shirley and chooses to spend most of his time at the bar where he can behave like a hooligan and partake in ludicrous “Bar talk”. However once home and hungover he reverts to a baby and expects Shirley to take care of him.
SignatureGreat taste in clothes, always untidy in his appearance — the half-buttoned shirt and a hat cotched on the head.
The definition of a good time, and the embodiment of “Am just a jovial person”.
Byron is Cold Rice’s best friend and loyal drinking buddy (Cold Rice will say otherwise). Byron is the resident bar gossiper whose unfiltered mouth always seems to get him in trouble. Even Cold Rice can’t stand him sometimes, but the drinks always mend their friendship.
Byron isn’t married and spends even more time at the bar than Cold Rice. Although a trouble maker, Byron believes that Cold Rice should spend more time at home with Shirley.
SignatureA keen sense of style, surprisingly more put together than Cold Rice — the gold chain, several gold rings, and his knitted cap.
The wife of Cold Rice and the glue that keeps the house together. Shirley has grown uninterested in her marriage as a result of her husband’s excessive drinking and overall lack of effort. The late drunken nights and early morning hangovers have become exhausting to deal with, so she leaves him to his own vices. At this point she cares for him out of obligation and not out of genuine care.
She may be small in stature but Shirley ain’t no pushover; her sharp tongue and fierce attitude has put Cold Rice in his place several times over. (He’s kind of afraid of her.) She always puts her foot down when Cold Rice has gone too far.
“Even a damaged burglar bar can hold a lifetime of family laughter, conflict, and love.”
Directed by Jordan Morris (professionally known as Jordan Mars), Smile marks his debut in narrative film after an accomplished career in Jamaica’s music video industry as Creative Director at Yellow Bird Studios. directedbyjordanmor risprOFESSIONALLYKNOWNASJORDANMARSsmilemarksh is debUTINNARRATIVEFILMAFTERANACCOMPLISHEDCAreerin ja ma icASMUSICVIDEOINDUSTRYAscreati vedirect oRa tYELLOWBIRDSTUDIOSDire ctedbyjo rdANm oRRISPROFESSIONALly knowNASJORDANMa rsSMIl eMARKSHISDEBUTInn ar rATIVEFILMAFTe raNACCo m PLISHEDCAREERIn jaMAi cASMUSICVIDEOi nDUSTRy ASCREATIVEDIRe ctORATy eLLOwBIRDSTUD iOSDIRe cTEDBYJORDANMo rRISPROF ESS IONALLYk NOWNASj oRDANMARSSMIl eMARKSHISd eBUtINNARRa TIVEFIl maftERAnacc oMPLISHEDCAr eERINJAMAIC aSMUSICVID eOINDUSt rYASCREATIVEDIre c tORATYELLOwb iRDSTUDIOSDi RECTEDBY jORDANMo rrISPROFESSIONALLYKn oWNASJORDAnm aRSSMILEMARKSh iSDEBUT INNARRa tIVEFILMAFTERANACCOMPLis hEDCAREERin jAMAICASMUSICVI deOin DUSTRYa scrEATIVEDIRECTORATYELLOWBirDSTUDIOSdi rECTEDBYJORDANMOr RISPROf esSIONALLYKNOWNASJORDANMARSSMi lEMARKSHISDEBUTINN aRRATIv eFilm afTERANACCOMPLISHEDCAre erINJaMAICASMUSICVIDe oINDUSt rYASCRea tivedIRECToraty elLOWBIr DSTUDIOSDIRECT eDBYJOr DANMORRISpr ofeSSIONALLY kNOWNASJORDANm aRSSMIl eMARKSHISDEBUTinnarratiVEFILMAFTERANACc OMPLISHEDCAr eERINJa mAICASMUSICVIDEOINDUSTRYASCREATIVEDIRECTORATYELLOWb iRDSTUd IOS DIRECTEDBYJORDANMORRISPROFESSIOn alLYKNOWNASj oRDANMAr SSMilEMARKSHIsDEBUTINNARRATIVEFILMA fteRANAcc oMPLISHe dCAReERINJAMAiCASMUSICVIDEOINDUSTRy as cREATIVe d iRECTORATYELLoWBIRDSTUDIOSDIRECTEDb yJORDANm o rRISPROFESSIO NALLYKNOWNASJORDANMa rSSMILEm a rKSHISDEBUTI nNARRATIVEFILMAFTERa nACCOMPl is hEDCAREERINJ aMAICASMUSICVIDEOIn dUSTRYAs cr eATIVEDIRECt ORATYELLOWBIRDSTU dIOSDIR ec teDBYJo rDAnMORRISPROFESSION aLLYKNo Wn asj oRDANMARSSMILEMAr KSHISDe bUt inNARRATIVEFIl mAFTERAn aCc ompLISHed cAREERIn JAm aicasmu sICVIDEo iNDu sTRYASCREAti vEDIRECt oRAt yELLOWBIRDSTUDIo sDIrecTe DBYJ oRDANmo rrISPROFESSIONALl YKNOwNA sJORDa nmar sSMILEMAr ks HISDEBUTINNARr aTIVEFIl mAFTER aNACCOMp lISHEDCAREEr i nJAMAICASMUSI cVIDEOIn DUSTRYa sCreATIVEDi rEcTORATYELLOwb iRDSTUDIOSDi rECTEDBy jORDANMOr rIs PROFESSIO nAllYKNOWNASJORd ANMARSSMILe mARKSHISd eBUTINNARr atiVEFILMAFTERA nACCOMPLISHEd CAREERINj aMAICASm uSICVIDEOIn dUSTRYASCREATi vEDIRECTORATyeLLOWBIr dSTUDIOSd iRECTEDBYJo RDANMORRISPRoFESSIONALLYKNOWNASj orDANMARSs mILEMARKSHISd eBUTINNARRATIVEFILMAFTERANAcc omPLISHEDCa rEERINJAMAICASm uSICVIDEOINDUSTRYASCREat ivEDIRectoRa tYELLOWBIRDSTUDIo sdIRECTEDBYJORDAnmo rrISPROFEssIOn aLLYKNOWNASJORDANma rssmilem arKSHISDEBUTINn aRRATIVEFILMAFTERANAccom plisheDCAREERINJAMAICa sMUSICVIDEOINDUSTRYASCREATIVEDIRECTORATYELLOWBIRd STUDIOSDIRECTEDBYJORDANMORRISPROFESSIONALLYKNo wNASJORDANMARSSMILEMARKSHISDEBUTINNARRATIVef iLMAFTERANACCOMPLISHEDCAREERINJAMAICASMus iCVIDEOINDUSTRYASCREATIVEDIRECTORATye lLOWBIRDSTUDIOSDIRECTEDBYJORDANmo rrISPROFESSIONALLYKNOWNASjor danMARSSMILEMARKSHIsde butinnarrative film
Known for visually dynamic work, Morris brings a strong cinematic eye to stories rooted in culture, humour, and memory. Inspired by inheriting his grandparents’ home, the film transforms personal history into playful storytelling — showing how even a damaged burglar bar can hold a lifetime of family laughter, conflict, and love.
The poster, the director’s portrait, the full stills and BTS galleries and the downloadable master are available to festival programmers and press with an access code.
