This spring, two filmmakers and avid adventurers will embark on a journey to the bottom of the world. Their destination —
The Falkland Islands.
This endeavor will take them from East to West, by bush plane, helicopter, 4×4 and on foot. They will cross stunning landscapes, isolated communities and left-over minefields — and into a culture left still very much uncharted.
For over a century and a half, mystery, tension and animosity have existed around a small, treeless archipelago, roughly the size of Connecticut, in the far flung reaches of the South Atlantic. Its extreme climate and proximity to the Antarctic make this rugged and isolated locale virtually slip off the corners of the map. Yet, since 1833 two nations — the UK and Argentina — have contested ownership over the Islands, resulting in a series of invasions and, ultimately, the 1982 Falkland Islands War. Remnants of this conflict remain visible today. And yet, underneath it all, a small, independent and resilient people endure — The Falkland Islander.
51º South is the untold story of these extraordinary people. June 2012 will mark the 30th Anniversary of the war. And while the attention of others will focus on the events of the past, our story offers the exceptional opportunity to finally capture the experiences, hardships, and diversity of the characters that construct the patchwork of this truly unique culture. A culture that, no matter how small, challenging or remote its existence may be, commands the attention of nations around the globe.
Jamie Gallant
Born on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, Jamieʼs connection to island culture and the sea has been embedded in him all his life. Always carrying with him a sense of adventure, he was fortunate enough to travel and see much of the world at a young age, expanding his curiosity of foreign cultures and leading him in his pursuit to bring his experiences back to others. He received his B.A. in Documentary Film and Video from Columbia College in Chicago, where he now lives and works. It was in Chicago where he met Vern Cummins, and the two quickly began collaborating, producing short form documentary and commercial films with a passion. In May of 2011, he made his first expedition to the Falkland Islands for the upcoming Falklands Episode of WGBHʼs online series
Hit and Run History: The Columbia Expedition. He would go on to operate camera for Falkland Islands Television after a spree of inclement weather left him stranded on the Islands for an additional week.
Vern Cummins
Vern Cummins was born and raised in the county of Kent, England. Continually searching for a wider perspective, he has traveled to 38 countries and expanded his horizons across 4 continents, residing in both London and Shanghai. In 2006, he crossed the pond and took up residence in Chicago where he graduated from Columbia College with a concentration in Documentary and Editing. It was at Columbia where Vern first met Jamie. While the majority of their peers wanted to make the next blockbuster in 3D: They didnʼt. The two went on the win Columbiaʼs Best Short Film award of 2009 and further collaborations resulted in the documentaries
The Brothers Brew and
The Chess Pavilion, both of which were showcased publicly in Chicago. Vern has possessed a deep fascination with the Falkland Islands from a young age growing up in the UK, where the islands have become an iconic symbol in both political and popular culture. He now wishes to explore the Falklands as told by the Islanders themselves.
The Falkland Islands: situated 51 degrees due South.