The Beacon Farms movie, produced and directed by Caymanian filmmaker Candy Whicker, has won a silver award for feature documentary at the 2023 Hollywood Independent Filmmaker Awards & Festival.
The Beacon Farms movie follows the trials and tribulations of Cayman’s only non-profit farm dedicated to helping Caymanians in recovery from drug and alcohol abuse. The film premiered in February at the Camana Bay Cinema and ticket sales from all public screenings were donated to Beacon Farms.
The Hollywood Independent Filmmaker Awards is an IMDb qualifying film competition which showcases ‘hidden gems’ made by indie filmmakers who do not have the name recognition or budget needed for the larger film festivals. Judges include former studio executives, talent managers and award-winning producers.
As a silver award winner, the Beacon Farms movie will be listed on the IMDb website, the world’s most popular and authoritative source for movie, television and celebrity content. Winners will be hosted at a red-carpet ceremony at the Wilshire Screening Room in Beverly Hills on 2 December.
The Beacon Farms movie has also been selected for the London International Film Festival (London FFI) which will take place in February next year.
“I am absolutely delighted that the film has been recognised by these festival nominations and this award,” said Whicker, who spent three years capturing the property’s transformation from rock and bush to working farm. “An industry award means that your work has been judged in a wider pool than your home town and means that your message was communicated well. I sincerely hope that this recognition allows the hard work of all those involved with Beacon Farms to reach a wider audience.”
Beacon Farms currently employs 13 Caymanians, providing people in recovery with the opportunity to learn new skills in a safe, sober environment. Beacon Farms is also breaking new ground in agriculture, making new soil and using mechanised farming to increase the quantity and quality of crops.
Established in 2017 through generous support from the Haugh Foundation, Beacon Farms is a social enterprise that is on track to be self-sustaining by 2026. However, until revenue increases sufficiently to cover operating costs, Beacon Farms is seeking financial support from the community to bridge the gap. To make a donation or to find out more about Beacon Farms fundraising needs, visit our page on How to Help.
The Beacon Farms movie is set to make a return to the big screen in Cayman Islands in the new year, thanks to continued support from the Camana Bay Cinema and Dart. The documentary will screen weekly throughout January and February, tickets can be booked directly online.