Wight, Camera, Action — The Island’s Story Hits The Big Screen

It was lights, camera, and plenty of Island pride at Cineworld Newport on Thursday (October 2), as more than 200 guests gathered for the red-carpet premiere of “The Island” — a brand-new film celebrating the very best of Isle of Wight life.

The premiere marked the grand finale of two years of filming for The Wight Brand, a project created by Steve Edmonds of local production company TVMI and supported by a host of Island businesses and organisations.

Among the guests were Lord Lieutenant Susie Sheldon, West Wight MP Richard Quigley, and Isle of Wight Council Leader Phil Jordan, alongside many of the businesses who partnered on the project.

The evening kicked off with drinks and canapés served by Island caterers All About Catering, before guests took their seats in Screen 1 for the cinematic debut.

The feature presentation — “The Island” — offered a vibrant, hour-long snapshot of life on the Isle of Wight, told through the stories of ten Island organisations: The National Trust, WightFibre, Red Funnel, Spence Willard, Yokogawa Marex, The Construction Collective (Element Housing, WH Brading, Sydenhams Timber Engineering), Bembridge Harbour, HTP Apprenticeships, Isle of Wight Distribution, and Vestas Wind Blades.

The project follows in the footsteps of The Wight Book, which celebrated Island life in print.

This time, the story comes to life on screen — bringing the Island’s spirit, innovation, and community to a global audience via The Wight Brand’s YouTube channel (@wightbrand) and social platforms.

After the screening, guests took part in a charity auction hosted by Christopher Scott and Malcolm Randall, raising more than £6,000 for WightAID.

Among the standout prizes were two VIP Isle of Wight Festival tickets and a wheelbarrow full of Mermaid drinks.

Geoff Underwood, Chair of WightAID, thanked attendees for their generosity, praising the event for supporting good causes across the Island.

Reflecting on the evening, Steve Edmonds, Managing Director of TVMI and creator of The Wight Brand, said:

“The turnout tonight has been absolutely fantastic.

"My heartfelt thanks go to the Wight Brand stakeholders who not only put on this amazing evening but have supported the project over the last two years.

"There’s so much passion and love for the Island — and I feel privileged to be a part of it.”

A night of celebration, storytelling, and Island spirit — The Island film cements the Wight Brand’s mission to share what makes this little corner of the world truly extraordinary.