The compelling documentary, “My Island My Future,” produced by Eleutheran students Taryn McKinney-Lambert and Kieon Sands, clinched the top spot in the ‘Best Documentary’ category at the Kids N’ Film Festival in California. This win marks the second award for the film this year, as it continues to make its impact on the global stage.
The Kids N’ Film Festival celebrates the creative endeavours of youth worldwide, showcasing family-friendly films that inspire, entertain, and provoke thought, regardless of background or ethnicity.
The short “My Island, My Future” film was inspired by the “Our Islands Our Future” campaign, which addresses the perils of oil drilling in The Bahamas. As an archipelago heavily reliant on its marine resources, any threat to the ocean poses a direct risk to the livelihoods of Bahamians. “Our Islands, Our Future” is a devoted collective of Bahamian and international advocates committed to safeguarding the nation’s waters.
The film was made two years ago, when 12-year-old Taryn initiated the project, penning a letter to former Prime Minister, Hon. Hubert Minnis, expressing her determination to raise awareness about a cause that was important to her as a young Bahamian.
The renowned Bahamian film director Kareem Mortimer lent his expertise to the project, which was filmed on the picturesque Bahamian island of Eleuthera. He said that he was excited for the opportunity to collaborate with the young, passionate environmental advocates.
“I am happy to support the next generation of filmmakers and storytellers in the best way I can.
“All the credit is deserving to the young filmmakers that wanted to tell their story. All I did was provide support,” Mortimer said.
Taryn devoted several days to crafting the script, with the following film production demanding additional time and effort. Reflecting on the process, the South Eleutheran resident recalled,
“It was a lot of work to make a very short film and I gained a better appreciation of what goes into filmmaking after this experience.”
Taryn and Kieon, both students of Deep Creek Middle School at the time, formed a partnership through shared hours of discussions on environmental conservation and marine life during school projects. Their school has long been active in the Eco-Schools Bahamas programme that BREEF has been leading since 2009.
“We both really cared about the things that we are talking about in the video and about our island; and we shared a lot of experiences and an appreciation for the ocean,” Taryn explained.
The coalition that endorsed the film, “Our Islands, Our Future,” is a group of local and international organizations championing Bahamians dedicated to safeguarding their heritage and economic sustenance from the threat of oil drilling. Together, they advocate for an enduring prohibition on oil drilling in The Bahamas
To learn more about how you can get involved in BREEF’s marine education programmes,
please visit www.breef.org.
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