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A STORY OF BONES

by Joseph Curran & Dominic Aubrey de Vere

SYNOPSIS

As Chief Environmental Officer for Saint Helena’s troubled £285m airport project, Annina Van Neel learned of the island’s most terrible atrocity - an unmarked mass burial ground of thousands of formerly enslaved Africans. Haunted by this historical injustice, Annina fights alongside African American preservationist Peggy King Jorde for memorialisation of these forgotten victims, amongst a global reckoning with the legacy of colonialism.

DETAILS

95 min

2022

UK

English

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CLIP

CREDITS

Directed by Joseph Curran & Dominic Aubrey de Vere

Produced by Yvonne Isimeme Ibazebo

Co-Producer: Jo-jo Ellison

Edited by James Scott

Original Music by Bankey Ojo

Executive Producers: Lisa Marie Russo, Mike Brett, Steve Jamison

Production Company: Archer's Mark in association with PT Films & Turnover Films

Consulting Producer: Peggy King Jorde

Impact Producer: Annina Van Heel

Supported by: BFI Doc Society Fund (awarding National Lottery funding)

BIOGRAPHY

DIRECTORS - JOSEPH CURRAN & DOMINIC AUBREY DE VERE

Joseph Curran & Dominic Aubrey de Vere met whilst working at an independent cinema, where they quickly bonded over their shared passion for storytelling. After getting their hands on a camera, they soon found themselves on a long-haul cargo ship sailing towards Saint Helena, one of the world’s most remote islands, to document the opening of the island’s first airport; instead, they stumbled on another, far more important story. More than eight years in the making, A STORY OF BONES marks the directing duo's first feature-length documentary. In 2019, the project was selected for Good Pitch NYC, and it is supported by the BFI Doc Society Fund, awarding National Lottery funding, and Archer's Mark. The film had its world premiere at the 2022 Tribeca Film Festival in competition.

SELECT FESTIVALS

TRIBECA 2022〡SHEFFIELD DOCFEST 2022〡DOKUFEST KOSOVO 2022〡HUMAN RIGHTS FF BERLIN 2022〡MOVIES THAT MATTER 2023〡ENCOUNTERS SOUTH AFRICA 2023〡NEW AFRICAN FILM FESTIVAL DC 2023〡SALEM FILM FESTIVAL 2023

PRESS

"A powerful film that should be shared and should motivate us all to take action"
- Jeanine Abraham, The Medium

"An eye opening, soul rattling masterpiece"
- Steve Kopian, Unseen Films

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