PEFF Film and Q&A: "Been Here, Stay Here"

A close-knit Christian community in the Chesapeake Bay faces a profound test of faith as rising seas threaten their way of life. 1 hour, 30 minutes.

Through intimate cinema verité, 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 7-year-old boy learning the deep maritime history that may soon slip away from him.

The deeply held Christian faith of Tangier’s residents becomes both their compass and their refuge, as they search for meaning and solace in the face of an uncertain future. Filmmaker David Usui documents their struggle, offering a powerful meditation on survival, faith, and the human desire for home amidst the inexorable forces of a changing planet. It’s a story not just about loss, but about the ways we hold on, even as the world shifts beneath us.

The screening will be followed by a Q&A with filmmaker, David Usui.

​Part of the Princeton Environmental Film Festival. For the full schedule of events, visit peff.eventive.org.

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• Assistive listening system compatible with personal T-coil-enabled devices (compatible headphones also available for use during programs)
• English-language subtitles for films (when available)
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