Stayers

On a rapidly vanishing island in the U.S., a tight-knit crabbing community fights to save their home from the sea— despite being convinced mankind has nothing to do with climate change. When three climate activist filmmakers show up to try to understand why, tensions rise.

Though the filmmakers have come to the island with genuine curiosity – they are blinded by their own bias. It escalates as the islanders feel they might be yet another media team making sensationalist click-bait pieces. It forces the filmmakers to come out of hiding and share why they care so deeply about climate progress and how it led them to Tangier. Their honesty triggers something in the community, who also feel scared about the growing divisions in society.

To everyone’s surprise, a new kind of conversation emerges. It’s the beginning of revealing new perspectives, unimaginable common ground, and even friendship.

Shot over four years, the film sparks self-reflective journeys on opposite sides of the climate debate. Ultimately, STAYERS is a film about what it takes to create meaningful conversations even when we disagree. Turns out, it’s harder than we think, but hearteningly possible.