Another documentary on future of Tangier Island to be released

Another documentary centered on the people and future of Tangier Island is set to make its North American premiere later this month at two major regional film festivals. Been Here Stay Here, directed by veteran filmmaker David Usui, will screen at the DC Environmental Film Festival on March 25 and the Annapolis Film Festival on March 28 and 29.

For those who know Tangier, it is a familiar story. Since 1850, the island has lost two-thirds of its landmass to erosion, with scientists warning that what remains could be uninhabitable within the next 20 years. The film captures the island’s precarious present through a quiet, observational lens, exploring how the people of Tangier—particularly its watermen and deeply rooted Christian community—grapple with questions of faith, identity, and survival.

Locals and those familiar with the Chesapeake Bay will recognize the deep ties between the land, the water, and the people. Tangier is a living piece of the Bay’s culture and history. The film asks: will we look back and say we paid attention, or that we turned away?

Been Here Stay Here has already drawn early acclaim, described as “heartfelt” by The Black Cape and praised by Beyond the Cinerama Dome as “a film that loves the island it documents and prays for its ability to adapt.”

Director David Usui and special guests will be present at both festivals for post-screening discussions, offering audiences a chance to engage directly with the story behind the screen.