Sanibel documentary to premiere at film festival
“On Sanibel: The Hurricane Diaries,” a new documentary that captures the resilience of the island in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, will premiere on May 15 at 3 p.m. at the Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center in Fort Myers as part of the Fort Myers Film Festival.
Directed and produced by Sanibel resident Laura DeBruce, it features dramatic, first-hand footage from islanders who stayed during the storm, which severed the Sanibel Causeway and left the island devastated.
“This film is not only about Hurricane Ian,” she said. “It’s about the strength, ingenuity and love that emerged after the storm. Sanibel’s people rebuilt more than just buildings — they rebuilt hope.”
Through intimate interviews and never-before-seen footage, the documentary tells the stories of the island’s residents, small business owners and community leaders who rose to the challenge.
DeBruce began documenting recovery efforts just days after the storm, arriving by boat and bicycle alongside her husband, Jeff Blackman. Despite breaking her wrist on the first day back in an incident involving an alligator sighting, she began filming what she witnessed. DeBruce recruited her friend, Diana Taylor, to help her film and later teamed up with award-winning videographer and Sanibel native Chad Hatcher to bring the footage to life.
During the editing process, DeBruce spent months reviewing footage of Ian.
“It was hard seeing this beautiful island destroyed again and again,” she said. “But in almost every shot, there was someone who had lost everything, who was still so compassionate and strong, that I knew that was the heart of this story.”
The score was composed by Emmy and Peabody Award-winning composer and flutist Kat Epple.
“My goal was to craft music that connects not only to the visuals but to the heart and soul of the story,” she said. “The score mirrors the film’s themes of paradise, peril, courage, loss and unity.”
General admission is $10; all-day and all-access passes are also available.
For tickets or more information, visit fortmyersfilmfestival.com.
To watch a trailer of the film, visit https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=983090534031724.
The Sidney & Berne Davis Art Center is at 2301 First St., Fort Myers.