Per my previous post, “Love in the Maldives” is a romantic romp through a very typical visit to the Maldives (with some atypical bits thrown in for a bit of contrived plot). I’ve produced a sort of “Everything Wrong With…” (with a touch of “Everything Right With”) reaction commentary video to help everyone navigate the contorted fiction from the fun fact. Enjoy!
Given its paradise backdrop, I’ve always been surprised there hasn’t been more films set there (none really). Until I came across this Hallmark production, “Love in the Maldives”.
The watermark of “Hallmark” is important because, for those of you outside the USA, it is a brand noted for being sweet and a bit cheesy. And this production certainly lived up to those brand values. It was almost a promo piece of the Maldives with a contrived soap opera love story tacked on. That said, given how much effort it went to portray the Maldives and all of its attractions, I was struck by how many mistakes and misrepresentations there were (stay tuned for my follow up piece on those).
But hat tip to Conrad Maldives…or “Anrad” as it appeared in the film (the “Conrad” name had the “C” blotted out on the coconuts given to guests as their welcome drink). And the heroine of the story stays in a villa called the “Marata” which is a real thing, but really called the “Muraka”.
The film only appears to be available in the USA at the moment, though I have seen it pop up on streaming services or if you have a VPN you might be able to find it. As a said, I will share a highlights video later this week with commentary.
If you prefer a more intimate film night, then Constance Moofushi offers private beach cinema…
“Choose your film from a selection of more than 100 to watch on a private screen, with the sound of waves gently lapping against the shore and soft powder sand beneath your feet. Lie back on loungers or beanbags and let us create a unique luxury cinema experience complete with popcorn, ice cream, canapés, sparkling wine, beers and soft drinks served to you on the beach.”
Lori and I have our own little home cinema in the UK. It is one of the greatest treats. You can stretch out on the sofa, and you can pause the movie to ask a question or refill your wine glass. Frankly, we love watching movies and it’s one of the very few things that we might “miss” when we visit the Maldives. Sure, some resorts have public theatres (but that would involve syncing our schedule to the playing times) and most resorts have TVs (but that would involve secluding ourselves in our room when paradise is just outside the door. Moofushi’s approach seems to be an inspired best of all possible worlds.
From the sublime, to the ridiculous. Ridiculously genius that is…Anantara Kihavah outdoor cinema. A number of resorts have introduced al fresco screens in recent years, but Kihavah has taken it to a new dimension with their 3D capable projector.
OMG, 3D Sharknado please!!
(PS. As we’ve entered into the entertainment awards season, I add a added “Film” tag for all the Best of the Maldives gong winners in that category).
Cannes Film Festival starts today which is a great showcase of fine smaller, independent productions like Norway’s “Kon Tiki”. Which as it turns out features the Maldives as the setting for the final scene (at the resort of Biyadhoo it seems). It’s no surprise then that it was film director Francisco Negrin who alerted me not only this Maldivian cameo (“Just watched kon tiki, this year’s oscar nominated norwegian film. The final scenes, when the raft hits Polynesia, were filmed in the maldives…”), but also all the films ever set in the Maldives.
If you want to have your own Maldivian Film Festival, then if you search IMDB for “location = Maldives”, you will get a list of over 33 films such as ‘The Island President’, “Caught Inside”, and “Dhinveynugehithaamaigaa”.
If I hadn’t saved up all my vacation time for visiting the Maldives, I might be traipsing about Cannes flogging a script myself (yes, like any self-respecting Los Angeles resident, ‘I have a script’). A script of a Maldivian story. If anyone is interested in producing a paradise-set cinematic tale, then drop me a line and we can do lunch. Plot: “Accountant becomes pirate.”
If Maldivian paradise is not escapist enough and you need a dose of Hollywood/Bollywood silver screen spectacle, Soneva Fushi features probably the most comfortable and relaxing film cinemas not just in the Maldives, but in the world. If you miss all of the stars around the resorts, then you can always catch some on the large screen set out on the beach with comfy lounges for taking in a flick.