Actor nominated for film Albert credits beautiful Guernsey

An actor nominated for his role in a short film set and shot entirely in Guernsey has credited the island as a principal "character" in the piece.

Set against the island's windswept cliffs in the 17th Century, Albert follows the tale of Sarre, a reclusive man and his forbidden book Le Petit Albert .

James Howard plays a rector in the film and has been nominated for Best Supporting Actor at the Quest film festival in Utah, United States of America - the latest in a series of industry nods for its creators.

Howard said: "It just shows the amount of talent that went into making the film on-island and goes to show how Guernsey is punching above its weight."

He said: "It's a lovely film, only about 17 minutes long, which tells a really lovely story, and it does a wonderful job of showing Guernsey at its best."

On his nomination, Howard said: "I was blown away, really surprised, it's totally unexpected.

"I'm really delighted but more than anything, I'm delighted the film is getting the recognition."

He said the film had been recognised for its cinematography, while its director G.R. Fletcher , from Guernsey, had also received a nod.

Meanwhile, the film also won Best Historical Short at the New Renaissance Film Festival in London.

"It's lovely to see the film come to life and be seen by audiences and liked by audiences as well," Howard said.

"And Guernsey comes across beautifully - it's mean, it's moody, the way it's shot - it's all done on the south coast, we had some fantastic locations," he added.

Howard, originally from Jersey, said he used his previous experience playing the "mysterious and brooding" Draco Malfoy in London's Harry Potter stage play.

In the film, Howard's character tries to help a man – played by Guernsey-born actor Cameron Ashplant – rid himself of an indestructible book.

"It's based on a real life book... a folklore tale of old," said Howard.

"I read the script, loved the script and jumped on board."

Describing Ashplant as a "fantastic local actor", he said the pair found the "right energy" to make the film work.

He said the role had been his first screen job in a decade, having devoted the intervening period to stage performances.

Describing the film as having "four characters", he said they were Ashplant, himself, Guernsey and the book on which the story was based.

The 13th annual FilmQuest film festival is set to take place from 22-31 October 2026.

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