74 movies shot in Fiji last year

Altogether 74 movies were shot in Fiji in 2017, up from 57 productions in 2016, according to authorities.

Film Fiji Chief Executive Officer Dallas Foon said Thursday they already approved and confirmed seven major productions for 2018 and were looking forward to another very busy year of film activity in the south pacific island nation.

Foon said it was a stellar year for high-quality productions with a budgetary value of over US$300 million (US$150 million).

Fiji's Minister for Industry, Trade, Tourism, Lands and Mineral Resources, Faiyaz Koya said the industry had seen exponential growth in a short period of time and the success of 2017 was a testimony to the dedication and hard work of all stakeholders involved.

There were 13 major productions last year including the upcoming feature film "Adrift" starring Hollywood stars Shailene Woodley and Sam Claflin.

The film was shot in the greater Suva area and parts of Rakiraki.

The movie is based on the true story of Tami Oldham, who, after being knocked unconscious by the largest hurricane in the history of the Pacific Ocean, awakens to find her fiancé Richard Sharp badly injured, their boat in ruins and no means of communication or navigation.

Another major feature film shot in Suva and the Western Division in Fiji was the highly anticipated, soon to be released Indian movie "Party," which included Sathyaraj and Ramya Krishnan from the highest grossing Indian movie in history "Baahubali."

U.S. reality show "Survivor" continued its production for another year.

Fiji, especially the Mamanuca Islands, is the most used location in the show.

Jeff Probst, the long-standing host of the show, said in an interview with Entertainment Weekly that Fiji is their home and he hoped that they stay in Fiji forever.

"Survivor" is aired in over 100 countries with a viewership of over 110 million people.

In addition, a popular comedy TV series, Wrecked (Season 2), shot in Sigatoka and Nadi, was aired on popular U.S. cable TV network TBS on June 20 last year to over 1 million viewers.

SOURCE: XINHUA/PACNEWS