Whilst the Antigua and Barbuda government is hoping that an international filmmaker will provide nearly 200 jobs for citizens, local filmmakers believe the development of a local film industry would be beneficial to the country long-term.
Speaking on Observer radio’s Big Issues yesterday, Howard and Mitzi Allen, alongside Dr Lisa Tomlinson and Dr Alvin Edwards, sat down with host Barbara Arrindell to discuss the film culture in Antigua and Barbuda.
Mitzi Allen, who is best known as the co-founder of HaMa Films, and co-producer of the film ‘The Sweetest Mango,’ said that while it is important for foreign investment, she noted that there was a lack of interest in the development of local filmmakers in the country.
She argued that “bringing in international productions, absolutely yes, but it is not sustainable if we do not have the training on the ground, we do not have a film industry.
“So, when I hear that there is going to be employment for as many as 200 people, I would like to know who those people are, and where they exist, because we are on movie number five and we have had to go outside of Antigua in order to raise the bar in the productions that we do.”
Mitzi Allen argued that a fund needs to be set up to develop the local creative industries for a more sustainable employment market.