Bajo El Sol Gallery will host the first public screening of the latest documentary from filmmaker and media entrepreneur Peter Bailey, “Paradise Discovered: The Unbreakable Virgin Islanders 2.0.” The screening will begin at 7 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 7, and shortly after there will be a panel discussion moderated by Dr. Hadiya Sewer.
“Unbreakable Virgin Islanders 2.0” is a sequel to “Paradise Discovered: The Unbreakable Virgin Islanders,” a film Bailey directed and produced following the aftermath of hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017. Building on concepts introduced in the first film, the second film features a cross-section of views of Virgin Islanders of multiple age groups, and it focuses on several key areas in need of innovation in the USVI, such as food security, sustainability, technological development, the reinvention of tourism, redefining identity and homegrown entrepreneurship.
The documentary was filmed on all three islands and features an in-depth interview with Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. and a retelling of the Fortsberg Rebellion story by St. Johnian artist and culture bearer Kurt Marsh Jr.
The film delves deeper into its story and asks,”How do we modernize in this new age yet remain true to our culture and who we are?” said Bailey.
Peter Bailey is an award-winning author, journalist and filmmaker, known for his critically acclaimed “NiteCap” conversation series. He has previously worked as a staff writer for Newsweek, Time and The Miami Herald. Bailey also co-authored an autobiography with hip-hop legend Trick Daddy that was praised by the New York Times. His film “Paradise Discovered: The Unbreakable Virgin Islanders,” which was based on his New York Times Op-Ed “Has America Forgotten the Virgin Islands?” took home top honors for best documentary at Toronto’s Caribbean Tales International Film Festival. Legacy Miami named Bailey one of Miami’s most powerful and influential black business leaders in 2019.
Watch the film trailer at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvTwDACryoY&t=3s
Bajo El Sol Gallery can be contacted at 693-7070 or bajoelsolgallery@gmail.com for more information about the screening or future events.
Established in 1993, Bajo El Sol Curator Priscilla Hintz Rivera and writer David Knight Jr. took the helm of the established gallery in 2016. Hintz Rivera and Knight are dedicated to offering the best in Virgin Islands fine art and cultural expression. Located at Mongoose Junction, a five-minute walk from the Cruz Bay Ferry Dock.
Bajo el Sol Fine Art Gallery, St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands
693-7070/ info@bajoelsolgallery.com
