A filmmaker reimagines a rainforest landscape in Belize where her grandfather—an octogenarian Black statesman—once planted 130,000 mahogany trees in an effort to repair colonial legacies of extraction, alienation and loss.
Inspired by one land steward’s act to replant 130,000 trees, Fairweather Wilds uses lyrical narration, rainforest landscapes, and reimagined family archives to immerse audiences in the intertwined histories of the colonial mahogany trade and Black Creole identity in the Caribbean. This story is told in three short chapters.
Descendant of a prominent, free Black carpenter who rose to national leadership in Belize, Henry Fairweather - known affectionately as Pa Hen - worked the swamp and jungle as a land surveyor and planner for 45 years. In his '80s and 90's, in his retirement, he embarked on the most ambitious task of his life: to reforest 350 acres of endangered rainforest with mahogany trees. Together with a few employees he methodically planted seedlings and cultivated the saplings. When fire and insects devoured thousands of trees, he replanted them. living weeks at a time in a shelled-out school bus with his basic comforts—a burner, tea, a chair, classical music CDs, and the familiar sounds of the forest
But what motivated Pa Hen's stewardship? The film invites the viewer into a lyrical exploration of the extractive mahogany trade and its impacts on the land, asking what has been erased, what has been cared for, and what can be salvaged.
Nyasha Laing is a storyteller, writer, lawyer and impact producer. Her work bridges creative expression and systemic change, exploring themes of cultural memory, identity, and repair. Nyasha’s films have received international recognition, including awards at Indie Memphis and the African Diaspora Film Festival, and have been featured in museums, theaters, and film festivals around the world. Her writing and impact work have been showcased on PBS, NPR and the BBC World Service. Speaking engagements include SXSW Film and TV Fest, the Trinidad and Tobago Film Fest, Yale University, NYU, the Art Museum of the Americas and TFC Distribution Days. Nyasha holds a BA in History from Yale University and a JD from NYU School of Law.
Cybel Martin - Director of Photography
Ina Sotirova - Cinematographer
Eddie Hemphill - Creative Producer
