By KEILE CAMPBELL

Tribune Staff Reporter

kcampbell@tribunemedia.net

A DOCUMENTARY exposing the lingering emotional scars of Hurricane Dorian and the COVID-19 pandemic will premiere on October 18 at the Atlantis Theatre on Paradise Island.

Titled “D6 Project: We Are Not Okay,” the film — created by Bahamian journalist and filmmaker Dr Juliette Storr — examines the long-term trauma experienced by survivors and urges a national reckoning with mental health in the wake of back-to-back crises.

Dr Storr said she was driven to make the film after volunteering with Dorian survivors and witnessing “a deeper suffering that went unspoken.”

“I could not begin to explore this without the help and expertise of the Bahamas Psychological Association,” she said. “I saw the pain that remained long after everyone else had packed up and left. People may look fine on the outside, but inside, they are not.”

The documentary is the first in a planned three-part series under the Category D6 banner, which links storytelling with calls for stronger national mental health policy.

Ann Marie Davis, spouse of the Prime Minister and patron of the project, said mental health remains a priority of her office and encouraged Bahamians to seek help when struggling.

“Seeking help is a sign of strength, not weakness,” Mrs Davis said. “Sometimes people just want to talk and need a listening ear. We are saying that it is okay not to be okay.”

The Bahamas Psychological Association (BPA) served as a principal partner, providing clinical guidance and ongoing support through its members across the Family Islands.

BPA President Dr Wendy Fernander said the partnership gave Bahamian professionals a chance to tell their own stories of how communities continue to cope five years after Dorian.

The film has already earned eight international awards, including Best Documentary at the London Independent Film Awards and Gold at the New York Cinemafest.

Film editor Justin Williamson said the project took more than two years and over 100 hours of footage to complete, calling it a sobering experience that changed his perspective on Dorian’s impact.

“As someone living in Nassau, I did not truly understand the magnitude of what happened until I heard their stories,” he said. “After that, I became even more passionate about the project because I realised the event happened and then we just forgot about it. What happened during Dorian should be treated the way America treats 9/11. We should never forget that day.”

Mr Williamson said the film’s message goes beyond remembrance, underscoring the importance of sustained mental health awareness and preparedness for future climate disasters.

“This project is something that should not only be shown on October 18 but for generations to come,” he said. “It reminds us that there is still work to do, and that we must take mental health and climate change seriously.”

Tickets for the premiere range from $25 to $95 and are available through ticketboxevents.com.