Imagine a small Caribbean island known for its natural beauty and rich cultural legacy. Then imagine a developer comes to this island offering to build an enormous yacht marina; it will bring in millions of dollars in investments, but it will likely destroy the tranquillity which is the very heart of the island’s attractiveness.
This is the premise of the film “Green,” screened for the public at Bajo El Sol Gallery in Cruz Bay last Saturday night. Written, directed, and produced by Eric Zucker, the film presents a “what if” scenario that reflects development issues that are playing out in real time on the island of St. John.
“My hope is that the film is seen not as just a fable, but as ‘faction,’ a blend of fact and fiction that seems familiar and creates a perspective that allows us to see ourselves,” said Zucker. Some of the situations and characters are surprisingly real.
Zucker, who was born on St. Thomas, has been a successful commercial filmmaker in the Virgin Islands for more than 40 years. He decided to frame this tale as a narrative rather than a documentary. “Documentaries can be seen as lecturing,” he said. For this film, he wants viewers to become engaged with the characters and feel the personal, cultural and political pressures they face.
The main character in the film is an up-and-coming architect named Kurt Green, who is troubled when Jack — an avid developer — offers him $50,000 in cash to smooth the way with locals who have doubts about the marina project.
Zucker plays with fact and fiction by casting Kurt Marsh as Green. In real life, Marsh is a woodworker, architect, and culture bearer whose voice is often heard regarding community matters.
In the film, Green understands the lure of money and the precarious situation facing ancestral landowners as they struggle to pay property taxes. He also knows the environmental consequences of pounding 25,000 tons of steel and concrete into the seafloor to construct a marina.
Jack can’t believe that anyone could resist his plan for the island. “You don’t want us to spend millions of dollars in your community? I’m here to save you!” he says with exasperation. His words call to mind arguments made by supporters of the Summers End Group, who have been working for more than 10 years to build a marina in Coral Bay.
Further blending the line between fact and fiction, Zucker’s cast consists of residents from St. John and St. Thomas; many of them play themselves, including community activist Theodora “Tuts” Moorehead and gallery owner David Knight Jr. Professional actor Jerome Kendell plays “Bob,” an ancestral St. Johnian who has agreed to work with the developers.
Zucker said his greatest joy was working with his cast.
Audience members warmed to these familiar faces at the screenings on Saturday night and responded with cheers and resounding applause, leading Zucker to joke about the popularity of showing home movies.
Though he jokes a bit, Zucker is very serious about the pressure to develop St. John and hopes the film will inspire conversations about Summers End, Caneel Bay, and Round Bay on St. John. His website, Sunlit St. John, explores the questions surrounding development and preservation.
Zucker spent an intense six months writing, shooting, and bringing the film to production on a shoestring while keeping its subject matter a secret. He limited the film’s length to 40 minutes so that it qualifies for entry as a short film in the Tribeca Film Festival. He also included details that open opportunities to develop the characters and situations on the chance that there’s interest in making it into a series.
He’s counting on the belief that a film will resonate with a wider audience. “By going local, you can speak to the global,” Zucker said. He’s planning to offer a limited number of local screenings. Stay tuned to The Source for announcements.
