Bermuda may be another world, but not a world without poverty. That is the message behind a locally-produced documentary that shines the light on poverty here.‘Poverty in Paradise: The Price We Pay’ was made by Bermudian filmmaker Lucinda Spurling and commissioned by the Coalition for the Protection of Children. It will premiere at the fourth annual Bermuda Documentary Film Festival (Bermuda Docs), which runs later this month.Sheelagh Cooper of the Coalition of the Protection of Children, recently stated that in the year 2000, 50 percent of black female-headed households with children were living at or below the poverty line.Families were finding it increasingly difficult to afford basic necessities such as rent, food and electricity as a result. After being told for so long that Bermuda is one of the richest countries in the world, some residents doubt that the problem of poverty here is all that bad. At least one senator accused her of exaggerating.According to the 2000 CIA World Fact Book, in 2000, 19 percent of Bermuda’s total population lived below the poverty line ranking at 105th out of 145 countries. The United Kingdom has 14 percent living below the poverty line and the United States has 12 percent.‘Poverty in Paradise’ explores the causes and consequences of the widening gap between Bermuda’s wealthy and poor, the struggles that families face in providing for themselves and their children, and the consequential spiral in crime plaguing the community.“We have made this film, showing a side of Bermuda that is often hidden away, because we want to transform the assumptions held by many about why particular people live in poverty. The film is very powerful we hope it will affect the social and political will in Bermuda, transforming the way Bermudians understand their community and influencing the necessary policies to put Bermuda on a more positive and prosperous path for all.”Ms Spurling, whose previous documentary feature films include ‘St David’s: An Island Near Bermuda’, ‘Rare Bird’ and ‘The Lion and the Mouse’, said the process of making the film had a dramatic impact on her.“The screening of the film will be a great platform to bring the important message of our film to a local audience,” she said. “More than any other project that I have worked on, it has been a huge learning experience and has opened my eyes to the complexity of our social problems. I encourage everyone who is concerned about the future of Bermuda to see the film at Bermuda Docs.”Ms Spurling’s film will be preceded by ‘Higher Ground: the Cahow Translocation Project’, a 32-minute documentary film produced by the LookBermuda team of JP Rouja, Ben Watson and Milton Raposo. The film, part of the organisation’s educational outreach programme, profiles the project designed by conservation officer Jeremy Madeiros to protect the future of Bermuda’s national bird.“I am delighted to screen two films by Bermudian filmmakers,” said Bermuda Docs founder and director, Duncan Hall. “Lucinda’s film is bound to provoke healthy discussion around the issue of poverty, and I am pleased to also support the educational outreach project set up by JP and his team. There must not be many places worldwide of Bermuda’s size where there are as many talented filmmakers as we are fortunate to have here.”The film will screen on April 30 at 8.30pm at the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute. The full festival line-up will be announced Friday. Tickets for the festival, which runs April 29, 30 and May 1, are $15.They will be available from Friday at www.bdatix.bm, All Wrapped Up Home in Washington Mall, the Money Shop, Dundonald Street, and Fabulous Fashions, Heron Bay Plaza, Southampton. Tickets may also be ordered by telephoning 232-2255.