In 2011, I stumbled across an advertisement seeking short films from UK-based filmmakers. Out of all the submissions, 14 filmmakers would be selected to travel to one of the 14 islands in the Bahamas. I still vividly remember receiving the phone call. It was a cold winter morning, and I was wandering aimlessly and feeling cold around Sloane Street when I heard the news. “You have been selected. Your film ‘The Invisible Man’ has been chosen as one of the 14 finalists by a panel that includes members from the National Film and Television School and the producer of the Oscar-nominated film starring Carey Mulligan, ‘An Education.'”

I had filmed ‘The Invisible Man’ with an actor friend I met at a theater group in London. He is Mexican and was doing odd jobs in the city at the time. With his indigenous look, I crafted a story about a man daydreaming about Tatanka Iyotanka, otherwise known as Sitting Bull, who was turned into a circus freak for Western audiences.

The excitement grew as I was invited to the Bahamian embassy where I met the other finalists. There, I connected with a Japanese filmmaker named Kyoto, a bright and humorous girl with whom I immediately clicked.

Finally, in February, the day of departure arrived. I left my home in West Hampstead with my brother and flew to Nassau. In Nassau, all the filmmakers and producers bonded for a few days before each of us departed to our designated islands.

Mine was Harbour Island, renowned for its beautiful pink sand beaches.

Harbour Island, often referred to as “Briland” by locals, is known for its pink sand beaches, which get their unique hue from microscopic coral insects, Foraminifera. The island is also famous for its colonial-style buildings and friendly community.I didn’t know what to expect, but I was open minded and ready to meet the island and the people living in it.

I took a ferry from Nassau and was greeted by my host, Rosita Roberts, a lovely woman with an energetic 9-year-old daughter. Rosita ran the charming “The Sugar Apple Lodging” almost entirely by herself, with some help from her mum.

Her husband was in Kenya, and she was a woman with a permanent smile, ready to run her business, educate her child, talk to her customers, cook, and never explain, never complain. A real Caribbean Queen. Rosita picked me up in a golf cart, the primary mode of transport on the island, and we instantly clicked and got along really well. She also had a lovely dog, who, along with Rosita’s daughter, was one of the princesses of Rosita’s lodge.The dog features in the fiction film I shot during my 14 days in Harbour Island, “The Girl on Holiday”.

Rosita’s daughter was 9 years old at the time and her energy was non-stop. What a beautiful smile!

Initially, driving on the main roads in a golf cart felt odd, but I soon got the hang of it. Harbour island is known for its friendly people and they were so welcoming, open and helpful, I felt that was my place.

One morning, Rosita took me to the ‘Lone Tree,’ a famous driftwood tree that had been washed ashore during a hurricane, now a beloved landmark.

One morning, a gentleman stopped Rosita and I , to offer coconut juice from a freshly picked coconut. It was delicious!

Of course, I also had to try the famous conch at the renowned Harbour Island spot, “Queen Conch,” which Ma Jacqueline told me was run by one of her eleven children. Check my video below to see how they prepare it. 

Sadly, Ma Jacqueline has now passed away, but I am grateful to have filmed her sharing her memories of the island where she was born and raised. 

The woman, the myth, the legend : The one and only Mama Jacqueline (JACQUELINE GERTRUDE SAWYER-PERCENTIE) from Harbour Island. She features in my upcoming doc and so thankful to Rosita for the introduction.

The documentary will be out very soon, showcasing the wisdom and invaluable testimonies of the people I filmed. Their stories are crucial to the history of Harbour Island and the Bahamas.

I’m forever thankful to Rosita Roberts, for introducing me to these Briland locals . They were all proud that a local woman like Rosita was one of the very few who runs a tourism business as majority of the industry in the island is run by non-locals.

I also love this pic of Rosita with her lovely mother. He mum owned the local gift shop” SunSet”.

Before I left, she gifted me a beautiful seashell from Harbour Island. A keepsake now sadly lost in a move in London. All these years later, and I still think in that precious shell from Harbour Island who looked a lot that this one below. She had personalised it with a message for me so that makes it a bigger loss. Bahamians are some of the best and most chilled people I have ever met.

FILMING MY SHORT FILM IN HARBOUR ISLAND

To create my short film, ‘The Girl on Holiday,’ I visited the local government school “Harbour Island All Age School” where I met many enthusiastic kids who became my actors.

Three teenagers, two girls who reminded me of a young Rihanna and a boy with a superstar attitude, were perfect for the roles. They were all 16 and exuded a cool, confident vibe.

There is a scene in the film where the kids are seen riding their bikes alongside other kids in the island, and needless to say, filming this scene was the highlight of the film as I was suddenly surrounded by all these charming kids ready to make a film and ready to take on the world. Here the kids still drive in their bikes safely and played outside with other kids and I loved that. These pics of me giving some instructions to the kids were taken by my friend Kyoto who came to visit that day from a nearby island.

The challenge of the 14 Islands Film Challenge was to create a film by yourself, so I was given one camera, a trip and basic sound equipment but I had no crew to rely on so Rosita occasionally was the sound woman. Someone had to hold that mic and when she was not available, doing sound and camera by myself, was a challenge !

My time on Harbour Island felt like a dream. I knew I would never have been able to afford such an experience if not for winning that competition.

I spent more time with locals than tourists, learning about the island’s culture and community.I also filmed a side little doc about their opinions on their beautiful little paradise.

While tourism is a major industry, I discovered that many of the grand houses on the island were owned by wealthy outsiders, often standing empty for much of the year. Despite this, the locals seemed content, with no signs of imminent revolt.

I spent a few weeks on this wonderful island, and on February 12th, I even celebrated my birthday with a lobster dinner at a local restaurant.It was pretty expensive as everything in the island is non-affordable which for locals is unfair as Ma Jacqueline told me during the filming.

Those days were filled with creativity, laughter, and the breathtaking beauty of Harbour Island. My filmmaking adventure in the Bahamas remains one of the most cherished experiences of my life.

Girls from the Harbour Island All Age School, class of 2011

On my return to London, I remember the stark contrast between the sunny Bahamas and the biting cold of London in February. It was freezing, and the chill seeped into my bones. My immediate task was to edit the film, which I did using Final Cut Pro on my laptop.

One day, as I was working, the seashell Rosita’s mum had gifted me fell onto my laptop keyboard, causing serious damage. The repair cost was £300, which I couldn’t afford at the time. Consequently, I had to use an external keyboard with my laptop for an extended period, which was quite uncomfortable.

Despite these challenges, we were given access to the editing suites at the National Film and Television School (NFTS) in Beaconsfield for the color grading process. Then, the big day arrived: the premiere. It was a black-tie event held at the iconic BAFTA building in Piccadilly, attended by all the filmmakers and guests. It was an absolute blast!

These are Some Pics of the BAFTA Premiere

My brother came to the premiere. His hair LOL!

Below, a group shot of some of the filmmakers including the producer Janine Avery at the back with the Bahamas representative in London.