A delegation of extraordinary Grenadians joined Jennifer Hosten and the stellar cast of MISBEHAVIOUR (12A; UK release 13th March) at its world premiere in London on Monday evening, as Pure Grenada, the Spice of the Caribbean heralded the movie for its portrayal of a defining moment in history: the crowning of the first woman of colour as Miss World.
Jennifer Hosten, whose barrier-breaking Miss World story is told in the movie, was joined by special guests including: Charge d’Affaires for The Grenada High Commission London, Samuel Sandy; Dr Johnson Beharry VC COG and Mrs Mallissa Beharry; Mary McQueen and Deborah McQueen, the mother and sister of artist, director and screenwriter Steve McQueen; Suzanne Gaywood OBE, former designer of Gold medal-awarded Grenada exhibits at RHS Chelsea Flower Show; Kenelm Roberts, representing The Jason Roberts Foundation; Clifton James for the Grenada Film Commission; Patricia Maher, CEO of Grenada Tourism Authority; Adam Carson, British Airways’ Managing Director of London Gatwick; Sumati Sharma, Vice President Product & Commercial, Virgin Holidays and Nichola Goldsmith, Head of Purchasing & Planning, Virgin Holidays. Select members of the press and invited special guests also attended the glittering global film debut in central London.
MISBEHAVIOUR, directed by BAFTA winner Philippa Lowthorpe (Three Girls), stars Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Grenadian, Jennifer Hosten – the first woman of colour to be crowned Miss World, Keira Knightley as a member of the newly formed Women’s Liberation Movement, and an all-star cast including Jessie Buckley, Greg Kinnear, Lesley Manville, Keeley Hawes, Rhys Ifans and Phyllis Logan.
Patricia Maher said: “Misbehaviour depicts a chapter of Jennifer’s story that exemplifies her ground breaking life as she helped put Grenada on the map fifty years ago. Since then Grenada has grown its international appeal for visitors with a record breaking half a million visitors to the destination in 2018.”
Hosten, born in Grenada in 1947, was a flight attendant for BWIA (now Caribbean Airlines) when she took a leave of absence to compete in Miss World. The beauty competition was the most-watched TV show on the planet and in 1970 was hosted by US comedy legend, Bob Hope. The stakes could not have been higher and when the live broadcast was interrupted by a Women’s Liberation Movement stage invasion, the global audience was captivated. Then, as Miss Grenada – the self-styled Nutmeg Princess – was crowned the first woman of colour Miss World, conventions crumbled.
Subsequent to the competition, Hosten pursued a successful career in diplomacy, trade negotiation and international development including serving as Grenada High Commissioner to Canada, working as a Canadian diplomat to Bangladesh and owning her own tourism business.
Maher added: “The tri-island destination of Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique offers something for everyone with a very warm welcome for visitors and we’re delighted that this retelling of Jennifer’s inspiring and relevant story once again gives Grenada top billing.”
MISBEHAVIOUR is in UK cinemas from Friday, 13th March 2002.
