David Usu’s ‘Been Here Stay Here’ Documentary on Chesapeake Bay Community Sets Release Date

It’s easy to write someone off if they disagree with you. It’s even easier to look down on them for the same reason. Because it is so easy to give into this social phenomenon, “Been Here Stay Here” reminds us that people are deeper than just their faith or opinions.

Directed by David Usu, the critically acclaimed documentary will be released in theaters starting at New York’s Quad Cinema on January 9th, 2026, via Lost and Found Films, in partnership with RBL Films and PR. The NYC premiere will feature Q&A sessions with the filmmaker and special guests throughout the opening weekend.

Been Here Stay Here shows the lives of the people living on Tangier Island, the Chesapeake Bay island town that’s lost over two-thirds of its landmass over two centuries. It has been the subject of many discussions about climate change, especially citizens’ willingness to stick with the island despite indications of rising sea levels.

The film forgoes any sort of political discussion to look instead at the people—humanizing them instead of reducing them to nothing for their faith or choice to stay on the island.

Director David Usui shows us three people throughout the film; the town’s mayor, James “Ooker” Ekridge; a college-bound Tangier kid, Cameron Evans; and a little boy named Jacob Parks, who gives us the lens of uncertainty in childhood to look at the film through.

“The story of Tangier is layered and poignant,” says David Usui in an Instagram post promoting the film. “It’s a community deeply rooted in faith and tradition, holding onto its way of life even as the island itself slips away. It’s a story that speaks to the slow, almost imperceptible effects of our shifting environment and our relationship with it. It’s about loss, home, and the meaning of place.”

In an excerpt on the film’s website, it reads, “Been Here Stay Here is not just a story about an island; it’s a story about faith in action and the power of community to illuminate a path forward. Through the lives of Tangier’s deeply rooted, faith-driven residents, the film explores how stewardship of the land and care for one another can bridge divides and spark conversations that transcend politics.”

Been Here Stay Here premiered at International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam in November of last year, and it has screened at several film festivals since such as Lighthouse International Film Festival and Martha’s Vineyard Environmental Film Festival. The film will release at Quad Cinema in New York on January 9th, 2026, with a wider release across North America coming throughout spring 2026.

Watch the first trailer for Been Here Stay Here, below