Producer Rudy Langlais (“The Hurricane,” “Sugar Hill”) and his partners, Caribbean social entrepreneur Valmiki Kempadoo, Toronto-based producer Don Allan and veteran multidisciplined film executive Neil Sacker, have closed an equity financing agreement with the government of the Caribbean island nation of Antigua that will see $125 million committed to an initial slate of five feature films and launch Antigua’s long-range commitment to film production.
The deal comes through the newly created venture, Golden Island Filmworks, an independent feature film finance and production entity run by Langlais, who was born in the West Indies, and his partners Sacker, Kempadoo and Allan. The first five feature films, individually budgeted between $20 million and $85 million, against a cumulative budget of $250 million, will be produced through Golden Islands Filmworks in collaboration with the government of Antigua and Barbuda, headed by Prime Minister, the Honorable Gaston A. Browne.
The arrangement serves as a first-of-its-kind film financing model that uses funds generated by the Antigua Citizenship Investment Program.
Antigua and Barbuda Ambassador at Large His Excellency Dr. Joseph (Joey) John, who for eight years had been enticing Langlais to make films in the Caribbean, was instrumental in structuring the Antigua-based venture and will continue to work on all components and phases of development and production associated with the film slate. Ambassador John is currently Special Consultant to the Prime Minister on the Citizenship by Investment Program and Investment.
Through this venture, Antigua aims to establish itself as the center for film production in the Caribbean. A portion of all films on this slate will be shot in Antigua, which will inject tens of millions of dollars back into the local economy and foster employment and growth.
The films that will be produced through this arrangement range from “Rebels,” a story of four unique individuals from tough upbringings in the 70’s who come together as friends to discover and contribute to the rise of iconic musician Bob Marley, to the launch of the “Nick Carter: Killmaster” espionage franchise, based on the longest-running franchise in U.S. book publishing history, producing 261 books over 30 years and selling more than 30 million copies.
The agreement was facilitated by industry legal veteran Eric Weissmann and Lizbeth Hasse and Erin Harrison of Creative Industry Law Group and producer/financier Karen Longley Gordy, who will serve as a principal in the company. Joseph Cohen of American Entertainment Investors and Larry Becksey of Intellectual Property Group served as Golden Islands’ advisors in the closing.
