Followed by a discussion with director David Usui
BEEN HERE STAY HERE, explores the quiet yet profound crisis unfolding on Tangier Island, where climate change isn’t an abstract concept but a daily reality threatening to erase an entire community. The film follows three generations living on the island: Ooker Eskridge, the resolute mayor, whose family has called this place home for six generations; Cameron Evans, a young man caught between the pull of tradition and the allure of opportunities beyond the island; and Jacob Parks, a seven-year-old boy learning the deep maritime history that may soon slip away from him.
CLICK HERE FOR FULL FESTIVAL PROGRAM
CLICK HERE TO BUY AN ALL ACCESS FESTIVAL PASS
David Usui has spent over 15 years crafting character-driven documentaries as a director and cinematographer. His work has been featured on PBS, ITVS, The New York Times, The New Yorker, The Atlantic, and VICE. His collaboration with director Albert Maysles on In Transit—a contemplative exploration of life on Amtrak’s Empire Builder—premiered at Tribeca Film Festival, where it earned the Special Jury Prize for Best Feature Documentary.
His most recent film, Been Here Stay Here, captures the quiet yet profound crisis unfolding on Tangier Island, where a close-knit Christian community contends with the heartbreaking reality of losing their home to rising seas. The film navigates the delicate intersection of faith, hope, and the unrelenting force of climate change, offering a meditation on both the resilience and fragility of place and belief in a world rapidly shifting beneath their feet.
In 2009, David co-founded Lost & Found Films, a production company creating documentary and commercial content for brands, NGOs, and broadcasters. He studied philosophy and environmental studies at Western Washington University, and served as an adjunct professor at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism.
