United States 2024, 86 min, English and German, Hebrew & English subtitles
Nestled in Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay, in the United States, Tangier Island teeters on the brink of vanishing. Home to fewer than 500 souls, the island has already lost two-thirds of its landmass over the last 150 years, and the relentlessly rising sea levels, coupled with land subsidence, further endanger the community’s future. Life persists here, at the mercy of the storms and tides, as the islanders—descendants of six generations of fishermen and crabbers—confront their destiny with unwavering faith, interpreting the crisis as both a natural occurrence and a divine trial. This sensitive ethnographic documentary chronicles the locals’ determined efforts to preserve their identity against an uncertain tomorrow, documenting the picturesque island’s disappearance with an infectious curiosity and minimal directorial intrusion or commentary, and by doing so, offering a powerful meditation on survival, faith, and a careful glimmer of hope.
Previous Festivals: IDFA, DC Environmental Film Festival, Annapolis Film Festival, Austin Film Society's Doc Days
