PRESS KIT
2024 / 86 minutes / Documentary / DCP / Dolby 5.1 / USA / Color
In English & German with English Subtitles
LOG LINE
Christianity and climate change collide on Tangier Island, where a close-knit Christian fishing community faces an existential threat as rising seas encroach upon their shores. Their centuries-old way of life, sustained by faith and the rhythms of the Chesapeake Bay, is now at a poignant crossroads—one that may force them from the only home they’ve ever known.
(58 words - 362 characters)
ONE LINER
Christianity and climate change collide as the residents of Tangier Island confront an existential threat that may force them from the only home they’ve ever known.
(26 words - 164 characters)
SYNOPSIS
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 seven-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.
(173 words - 1059 characters)
DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT
Despite the overwhelming scientific consensus on climate change, a significant portion of the American public remains deeply skeptical of its causes and the urgency of the action required. What’s often lost in this debate is the role of the religious community—a powerful, yet frequently overlooked voice in environmental discussions. Faith-based groups, with their profound moral frameworks and far-reaching influence, have the potential to reshape the narrative, offering a bridge between science and the cultural forces that shape public opinion.
Over the past few decades, climate change has morphed into a political battleground, fracturing communities and identities in ways that continue to reverberate across our society. Nowhere is this divide more pronounced than in parts of the evangelical Christian community in the U.S. Climate skepticism fused with conservative Christian identity, has hardened into something more resistant to change. To accept the reality of climate science was framed as a betrayal—not just of political loyalty but of faith itself.
During the broader culture wars of the 1990s, environmentalism was painted as part of a “liberal overreach,” making climate skepticism a rallying cry for those defending what they saw as traditional American values. As the Republican Party increasingly tied itself to evangelical voters, climate denialism became embedded not just in political platforms but in identities and beliefs.
Yet even in the face of these efforts, resistance has always existed. Figures like Katharine Hayhoe, the Christian climate scientist, and organizations like the Evangelical Environmental Network (EEN) have spent years working to reclaim the narrative, showing that caring for creation isn’t a betrayal of faith—it is an essential expression of it. They insist that environmental stewardship is not a political issue; it’s a moral one, a spiritual imperative to protect what is sacred. And in this, they are right. Their work reminds us that facts alone aren’t enough; we need stories—stories that stir something deep within us, that spark connection and understanding.
Been Here Stay Here hopes to add its voice to this ongoing conversation. The film is an effort to expand on that work, to create space for dialogue that bridges, rather than widens, divides. Set on Tangier Island, the film explores the existential threat this community faces—a story that sits squarely at the intersection of Christianity and climate change. It’s an attempt to reclaim the shared ground where we, as human beings, can meet—not just to debate, but to listen, to talk, and to work together toward a common, urgent purpose.
My hope is not to win an argument or score political points. It is to spark understanding—to remind us that the climate crisis is not just a policy debate but a deeply human issue that touches all of us. We need to find the courage to come together, across all the boundaries we’ve created, to protect our fragile planet. Unless we can see this as a shared mission—not just for ourselves but for the generations to come—our ability to create meaningful change will falter. This is not just about today; it is about the future we owe to each other. It’s about finding a way to live together, in harmony with the only home we’ve ever known.
SPECS
Title of Film Been Here Stay Here
Country of Production USA
Date of Completion September 2024
Shooting Format 4K UHD
Screening Format DCP and Pro Res available
Ratio Standard 16:9 DCP
Sound Dolby Digital 5.1 Theatrical
Duration 86 minutes
Genre Documentary
Language English, German (Subtitles)
CONTACTS
PUBLICITY
Ry Levey
+1 647 781 0818
rylevey@gmail.com
www.rylevey.com
PRODUCTION COMPANY
Lost & Found Films
+1 646 801 2015
mail@lostfoundfilms.com
www.lostfoundfilms.com
STILLS
BIOS
DAVID USUI
DIRECTOR / PRODUCER / CINEMATORGRAPHER / EDITOR
David Usui has spent over 15 years crafting character-driven documentaries as a director and cinematographer. His work, which has been featured in The New York Times, PBS, ITVS, The Atlantic, and VICE, reflects a commitment to storytelling that is both intimate and expansive. David’s collaboration with the legendary Albert Maysles on In Transit—a film that captures the stories of travelers along Amtrak’s “Empire Builder” route—premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and was awarded the Special Jury Prize for Best Feature Documentary.
In 2009, David co-founded Lost & Found Films, a production company that has brought documentary and commercial content to life in partnership with brands, ad agencies, broadcasters, and NGOs. David’s background in philosophy and environmental studies, at Western Washington University, has deeply informed his work, blending thoughtfulness with a keen eye for the environments in which his stories unfold. As an adjunct professor at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism, David has imparted this vision to his students, guiding them to explore the world with curiosity and compassion.
GIORGIO ANGELINI
PRODUCER
Giorgio Angelini came into film from a longer, multi- faceted career in the creative arts, including music and architecture. His directorial debut, Owned: A Tale of Two Americas came out of his interest in architecture and housing policy. The film made its television premiere in 2022 on Independent Lens/PBS and was viewed by over three million people.
His second film, 2020’s Feels Good Man, premiered at Sundance where it went on to win the Special Jury Prize for Emerging Filmmaker, as well as a News & Doc Emmy for Best Research in Feature Documentary.
His latest project, The Antisocial Network, was released on Netflix in April 2024 and was a Top 10 film across the globe. Giorgio studied American History at the University of Texas, Austin and received his Masters of Architecture from Rice University.
ELIZABETH RAO
EDITOR
Liz Rao is a filmmaker based in Brooklyn, NY. Her award-winning work focuses on theatrically-released fiction and documentary features. Recent credits include lead editing feature film MATERNA (dir. David Gutnik, Tribeca Film Festival 2020 US Narrative Competition, lead editing feature documentary MAINELAND (dir. Miao Wang, SXSW winner of special jury award for observational cinema), and producing and co-editing acclaimed fiction film MADELINE’S MADELINE (dir. Josephine Decker, Gotham Independent Film Nominee for Best Feature, Independent Spirit Award-nominee, Independent Editor Award), among other upcoming fiction and documentary features. She is currently on scholarship as a writer and director in the NYU Graduate Film program. She has taught workshops in experimental filmmaking at True/False Film Festival, has given artist talks at The Edit Center, UnionDocs, and Yale University, and is a member of the collective Brown Girls Doc Mafia. Before filmmaking, she worked for four seasons on the programming team at Tribeca Film Festival.
PETER STEUSLOFF
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Peter Steusloff is an award-winning cinematographer with over 15 years experience. His first feature Skook won the Grand Jury Prize at the New Orleans Film Festival. His work in both documentary and narrative films showcases his sensitive eye for storytelling and his attention to lighting. Peter continues to work as a commercial cinematographer with clients including L’Oreal, Swarovski, Macy’s, Comcast, and many others.
MARTHA WOLLNER
STORY PRODUCER
For over 20 years Martha Wollner worked with Albert and David Maysles (Maysles Film Inc), capturing real people stories for award winning projects that ranged from documentary features to landmark commercial campaigns and corporate projects for a host of Fortune 500 clients. Her duties at MFI included casting, producing and second unit directing on feature documentaries. Following her tenure as General Manager of the company, Martha established her own company, Very Real Casting, dedicated to nurturing human stories for all forms of media. Now in its 20th year, Very Real Casting is rooted in the same skill set the Maysles Brothers saw in Wollner from the outset; the ability to find and establish relationships with people who deliver the greatest window into their real stories.
JAMES WILLIAM BLADES
COMPOSER
James William Blades is a composer and producer based in New York. Working primarily as a film composer, he has worked across a wide range of productions including feature films, documentary, art exhibition, sound installation as well as producing music for recording artists. His credits include music composition for Black is King (dir. Beyonce Knowles, Disney), Flypaper and Black Mary (dir. Kahlil Joseph), and for Mercury Award Winning artist Sampha’s film Process.
James has produced music that had been presented at the V&A Museum in London, Venice Biennale, Serpentine Gallery, New Museum, The Shed, 180 The Strand and Palais De Tokyo, where he produced music for artist and musician Theaster Gates exhibition, Amalgam. More recently James scored the Showtime documentary Point Gods produced by Coodie and Chike and Kevin Durant. James has a Masters in composition at Royal College of Music and is the founder of the music production studio Interlude.