Guernsey to get serious about film industry expansion

Sunday, 26 October 2025 00:05

A new organisation will nurture local talent and entice producers to consider Guernsey's unique locations.

In terms of cinema, the island is probably most famous for The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.

But it was not filmed here. Instead it used Clovelly in North Devon to represent St Peter Port.

Two other films you may have heard of, Adele H and The Blockhouse, were filmed on the island, both in the early 1970s.

Now a new organisation is determined to put Guernsey firmly in the sights of film makers, big and small, local national and international.

Actor and islander Cameron Ashplant is one of the founders of the Institute of Screen Arts Guernsey (ISAG) and explains their aims:

"One of those is to grow the film scene locally from the grass roots up.

"We also want to attract film makers to the island from the UK but also internationally. We want to establish Guernsey as a film hub."

'Whispers of Freedom' was filmed in Guernsey and even used Island FM's old studios as a backdrop.

The idea has the backing of the States' Economic Development Committee who have appointed a film Tsar, which Cameron says is important.

He believes that if ISAG had been around in the early 2010s then the Potato Peel Pie film may have had more of a local connection:

"They would likely have said, 'OK we've got a point of contact to talk to, our concerns, our issues, aren't falling on deaf ears.'

"We will be providing the logistical services that were perhaps lacking at the time that they were looking to make that film."

Cameron says the first priority is to list Guernsey's enviable and film friendly places:

"There are some unique locations, the Nazi bunkers, the rugged south coastline. In the UK those are sought after locations."

The plan is to have this ready for 2026 to tempt producers.

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