Bermudian-produced film screens this week
A film produced by a Bermudian filled up seats over the weekend during its first on-island screening.
Bull Street has had sold-out screenings every day since it reached Bermuda on Friday.
Wendy Tucker Tannock, the film’s Bermudian-born executive producer, said that demand had been so high that venues even debated creating a second time slot.
She added: “Hopefully this movie can inspire everyone who’s interested in producing movies or interested in film. That’s why it was so important for me to bring it back home.”
Bull Street tells the story of a small-town personal-injury lawyer and her grandmother as they battle eviction from their longtime family home.
It premiered in February during the Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles and has since gained popularity in South Carolina and New York.
Ms Tannock said that it was a relatable family drama and had something for everyone.
She said: “It transcends culture, it transcends class and it transcends religion.
“This is one of those movies that I can take and put it in a different country and it will resonate.”
Bull Street was screened at the Media Lounge in Dockyard on Friday and was shown there throughout the weekend.
Each screening was followed by a question-and-answer discussion where Ms Tannock talked about her inspiration and personal ties to the film.
Bull Street was also shown at Speciality Cinema in Hamilton yesterday at 2pm and again at 6.30pm.
Ms Tannock called the local response “phenomenal” and said it showed that Bermudians enjoyed what Bull Street “brought to the table”.
She explained that her film addressed land rights, generational wealth, mental health and tumultuous family relationships in a respectful way.
Ms Tannock added: “It brings into focus things that you wouldn’t normally think about.
“Bull Street pulls you back a minute and reminds you to discuss important things with your family, that communication is key and that we should spend time with people that we love.”
The film was inspired by the true story of director Lynn Dow's great-grandmother and further addresses the lingering effects of racism.
It was also named after the infamous South Carolina State Hospital, a mental institution nicknamed “Bull Street” for its controversial practices.
Ms Tannock said that she joined the project to prove to other Bermudians that they could do the same thing.
She explained: “I’m from Bermuda, I grew up here, and it’s a lot of work to produce movies. I just wanted to show people that it can be done.”
Ms Tannock added: “There was no one to point me in the right direction here on how to produce and executive-produce movies, so I had to go hunting.
“Sometimes you have to leave this island and go farther out into the world to find out how to do things — but the great thing is, you don’t have to just leave it there.
“You can come back and bring that knowledge back, and others along with you.
“It may not happen overnight, but it’s something that can happen; there’s so much talent in Bermuda.”
• Bull Street will be showing at the Media Lounge in Dockyard on weekdays at 7pm, and weekends at 3pm and 6pm until October 24