🎬 The Missing Frame: Why Filmmaking Must Anchor SVG’s Tourism Vision

To Comrade Ralph Gonsalves and my fellow Vincentians,

This week, I watched the Tourism Industry Address and Stakeholders’ Conference online via the live link, glued to my screen as the vision for St. Vincent and the Grenadines unfolded. The numbers were impressive: record-breaking arrivals, new hotels, eco-parks, festivals, and sports tourism. The Minister’s pledge of EC$20 million for the creative arts and Creative Hubs signals a new dawn. Comrade, you’ve always said small states must punch above their weight. I believe we can — and film is how we’ll do it.

But through that live stream, one word was missing: film. Not a whisper of the art form that could tie our tourism, culture, and economy together. Not a nod to the stories that could carry SVG to the world.

The Orange Economy and SVG’s Place in It

The creative industries — what Professor Keith Nurse and the Inter-American Development Bank call the orange economy — are a powerhouse worth over $2 trillion globally, contributing more than 6% to world GDP and fueling jobs for youth and women in emerging markets. As Nurse emphasized just last week in his insights on Tobago’s creative sector expansion, for small islands like ours, the orange economy isn’t a side hustle; it’s a strategic engine for innovation, cultural sovereignty, and economic resilience in a post-pandemic world. Film sits at its core, blending storytelling with commerce to showcase heritage, landscapes, and lives while generating sustainable revenue.

SVG’s Cinematic Legacy

We’re no strangers to the camera’s gaze. Hollywood came calling with *Pirates of the Caribbean* (2003–2007), turning our black sand beaches into global icons. Ridley Scott’s *White Squall* (1996) captured our seas’ raw beauty. MrBeast’s 2024 YouTube production, seen by hundreds of millions, reminded the world that SVG is film-ready. These projects poured money into our communities — hotels, caterers, boat operators, artisans — and left a tourism ripple effect, injecting up to $1.3 million daily into local economies per production.

But it’s not just Hollywood. Vincentian filmmakers are making waves too:

- At CARIFESTA XV in 2024, seven Vincentian films shone, proving our talent can stand with the Caribbean’s best.

- The Hairouna Film Festival, running since 2017 with no state support, has become a beacon for local and regional cinema, drawing audiences and sparking pride.

- My own films — Madulu, The Seaman (Best Short Documentary, Gibara IFF), Sugar Lands, Black Doll (Locarno, Grenada IFF), and others — alongside Tolga Akcayli’s Too Lickrish (Best Comedy, France) have reached over 30 festivals in 20 countries, streaming on Criterion and Amazon Prime.

These are not just films; they’re proof that SVG’s stories resonate globally. Yet we’re doing this with no national support, no Film Commission, no structure to turn talent into industry.

Global and Regional Trends We Can’t Ignore

Look around, Comrade and people. The world is moving — and film tourism is leading the charge, projected to grow from $66.2 billion in 2025 to $145.9 billion by 2035 at an 8.2% CAGR, driving visitor economies through iconic locations and narratives. In the Caribbean, cinema revenue alone is set to hit $73.25 million this year, with steady growth through 2030, fueled by UNESCO’s Transcultura programme amplifying regional filmmakers and the Caribbean Climate Forum’s 2025 push for co-production funding.

- Africa’s Nollywood is the world’s second-largest film industry, creating millions of jobs and billions in revenue.

- Colombia used film incentives to rebrand itself, turning conflict into creativity and tourism.

- The Dominican Republic is the Caribbean’s film hub, hosting Hollywood and Netflix, with local economies reaping rewards.

- Jamaica weaves its reggae legacy into films that drive tourism and global branding, boosted this year by new funds and international partnerships at the Black River Film Festival.

Meanwhile, SVG — with landscapes just as stunning and stories just as deep — risks being left behind.

The Minister’s Vision and Film’s Role

The Minister’s pledge of EC$20 million for the creative arts and the creation of Creative Hubs is a game-changer. This is our moment to build a Film Hub and a National Film Commission within that vision. With even a fraction of that funding, we could:

- Create training labs for youth in cinematography, editing, drone tech, and VFX.

- Offer grants for Vincentian filmmakers to produce global-ready content.

- Build incentives to attract international productions.

- Establish a Film Commission to market SVG as a film-friendly destination.

How Film Binds It All Together

Film isn’t separate from tourism; it’s the glue that binds it. Picture this:

- Our Richmond eco-park starring in a Netflix documentary, drawing eco-tourists worldwide.

- Carnival and Nine Mornings streaming on Disney+, pulling diaspora youth to visit.

- A Garifuna resistance film doubling as a tourism trail, celebrating our heritage.

- A Bequia boutique hotel featured in a global travel series, filling rooms year-round.

This is the machinery of film in the orange economy:

- Jobs: A single production hires carpenters, caterers, drivers, artisans, and tech-savvy youth.

- Tourism: Every frame markets SVG, driving visitors without building a single new resort.

- Culture: Our stories — whaling traditions, Garifuna resistance, breadfruit history — become global exports.

- Diplomacy: Every festival screening is a cultural embassy, amplifying SVG’s soft power.

Opportunities Waiting

A Film Commission could unlock:

- Grants: UNESCO’s Creative Caribbean Programme, EU-ACP Culture, Afreximbank, and CDB are funding film projects. SVG is eligible but not applying.

- Jobs: 500+ jobs by 2030, from crew to SMEs, with US$10M in GDP growth.

- Tourism: A 10% visitor increase through film tourism, as seen in comparable nations.

- Youth: Training in film tech reduces unemployment and crime risks.

- Global Reach: 20+ Vincentian films exported annually to festivals and platforms.

My Journey as Proof

I’m no outsider to this dream. I was a teacher, a banker, but I left it all to chase my art. For over 15 years, I’ve worked in film across Latin & North America, Africa, Europe, and the Caribbean. My films have premiered at the BFI, Hot Docs, IDFA, and on Netflix and Criterion. I’ve seen how stories travel faster than planes, how images burn deeper than ads. Vincentian stories — our resistance, spirituality, Carnival, seas, and hills — are ready for the world’s screens.

A Call to Comrade and Country

Comrade, your vision of SVG punching above its weight inspires us. The Minister’s EC$20 million and Creative Hubs are a spark. Let’s use them to build a Film Hub and Commission, to make SVG the Caribbean’s storytelling capital.

People of SVG, this is our moment. Let’s dream in frames, in narratives, in global stages. Let’s make film the heartbeat of our tourism, culture, and economy.

Comrade, my people, SVG is ready for its close-up. Will we roll camera?