Documentary Trilogy

“Some Kind of Funny Porto Rican?”: A Cape Verdean American Story” (SKFPR) (2006) chronicles the history of the community up to the point of destruction caused by urban renewal through first voice narratives, primary source materials, and archival video and film footage.

“Atlantic Portal,” the feature currently in post-production, picks up chronologically where SKFPR ends. Similar to SKFPR, the narrative voice of “Atlantic Portal” is shaped through “first voice” narrative of Cape Verdeans. “Atlantic Portal” emerges from the rubble, literally and figuratively, and returns us to Cape Verde in search of “home.” The epiphany is that being Cape Verdean is a state of mind, not a geographic location. Even though Fox Point was physically destroyed, we were not. Similarly, although Fox Point is gone, it is a state of mind, and will remain in our hearts and minds forever. As the title implies, this documentary is a transition: in this case, from chaos to healing, then renewal as the community struggles to celebrate and mourn the past, accept the present and navigate the complexities of a 21st global Diaspora Cape Verdean community.

The third documentary, “Working the Boats,” is the story of Local 1329 of the International Longshoremen’s Association, founded in l933 by Cape Verdeans, and the first racially diverse union in New England. It is a story of men, their craft, their families and the community the waterfront supported. Principal photography was completed in December 2009. Fundraising is underway for post-production and completion funds for both “Atlantic Portal” and “Working the Boats”.