“Been Here Stay Here” - Film Review
When I was growing up in Maryland, everyone had a reverence for the Chesapeake Bay. To us, it was the only Bay, and San Francisco’s paled in comparison. People would take their boats out onto the water and cruise up and down the coasts. Blue crabs, a cornerstone of Maryland cuisine and identity, come from these waters. Those living in Maryland and Virginia have built a way of life around this body of water, some more than others. Tangier Island, located in Virginia, has been inhabited since the late 1700s, but its mass has been reduced by 67% because of rising sea levels. Been Here Stay Here looks at the way the island’s inhabitants are dealing with the impact of climate change on their centuries-old way of living.
courtesy of Been Here Stay Here
Been Here Stay Here centers on three generations of people who live on Tangier Island. James is the mayor whose family has been here for six generations. Cameron is in his late teens/early twenties and spends summers on the island. The rest of the year, he attends college on the mainland. Jacob is seven years old. He was born into a way of life that may not exist by the time he comes of age. He’s immersed in the world of maritime history, and it’s this very history that is going extinct before his very eyes. Those who live on the island are deeply religious, yet their beliefs are often at odds with scientific research. Been Here Stay Here chronicles the clash of these two perspectives in the face of climate change.
There are many styles of documentary, and while the talking-head approach is most common, it’s the cinema verité manner that offers a far richer perspective. It’s one that’s necessary for a story like this. In order to grasp the intensity of the threats looming over Tangier Island, the audience needs to live in the shoes of its inhabitants. It’s one thing to hear that the amount of crabs per season has changed, but it’s another to see the meager catches these watermen pull in. Been Here Stay Here feels out of time, both in the sense of the climate crisis and in the fact that the way of life here hasn’t really changed with the times. Even calling them “watermen” feels like the year could be 1801 or 2024 or anything in between. Been Here Stay Here plays with that duality by using archival footage in a sparing, impactful way. The audience sees people of the past and present repeating the same tasks to create a sensation of timelessness.
courtesy of Been Here Stay Here
Tangier Island is five feet above sea level. If a hurricane or tropical storm hits nearby, two-thirds of the island will go underwater. There is a very real need to adapt to the realities of our changing planet. Some residents don’t believe humans have anything to do with these changes while Cameron, the college student, is frustrated that the state government is doing nothing to help them. He points to Maryland, the state line mere miles north, where similar islands are being protected by government initiatives. This water has sustained the community for over two hundred years and it seems like the water is also the thing that’s going to kill them. It’s devastating to watch the slow ending of a way of life. This clearly self-sufficient group of people can’t single-handedly fight climate change.
courtesy of Been Here Stay Here
Toward the end of Been Here Stay Here, the debate between religion and science takes center stage. The film explores an urgent and necessary intersection between two topics that are often diametrically opposed. “Science is a gift from God, so how can we honor God by pursuing science?” This question is asked by a man of faith who believes there’s a path forward that blends scientific learnings and spiritual beliefs. It’s a hopeful means of finding a solution that will allow this community, and others like it around the world, to tackle climate change. As it stands now, serious changes must be made if the next generations are going to have a planet to inherit.
Been Here Stay Here is reminiscent of Elaine McMillion Sheldon’s King Coal from 2023. Both are odes to a way of life that both sustains and threatens. A source of pride and disappointment, respect for the past and a hope for the future. Been Here Stay Here loves the island it documents and prays for its ability to adapt to the changes that are coming.
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