Tickets
Non-Members: $10
Members: Free with RSVP
Doors open 6:30 PM
Film Screening begins at 7 PM
It is time to rethink everything you thought you knew about pirates. Join Thymaya Payne, as he presents a screening of his documentary film, “Stolen Seas,” which follows pirate translator and negotiator Ishmael Ali, tells the story of 13 powerless men trapped on a ship, and explores why their captors feel justified in their tyranny. After the screening, there will be a Q&A with the acclaimed writer and filmmaker.
Attempting to make sense of the rapid changes at the hands of globalization and intrigued by the emerging story of piracy in Somalia, Thymaya began a journey to discover how the world’s poorest were taking hostage of the world’s richest and how these “agents of change” fit into the larger picture How did he manage to get a hold of a Somali pirate? How did he track down a pirate negotiator? How did the camera get on board a 13-man crew ship to witness a potential life-threatening negation for 7 million dollars?
As Houthi Rebels in the Red Sea emerge into headlines, how does this film help highlight the influence of the Somali Pirate Phenomenon of our modern era? What can we learn and what insights can we gain? Join us for answers to these questions and more.
This screening has been programmed as part of Thymaya’s 2024 residency at The Church. For a full line-up and schedule for our upcoming artists-in-residence, visit our website here.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
THYMAYA PAYNE
Writer & Filmmaker
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Thymaya Payne is a bi-racial/queer/writer/filmmaker. Thymaya’s first feature film was a 5-year journey into Somali piracy called, “Stolen Seas,” which was hailed as “magnificent” by the New York Times and Variety. In 2015, Thymaya co-wrote and produced the independent film “Live Cargo” directed by Logan Sandler, starring Lakeith Stanfield and Dree Hemingway. Thymaya also co-wrote “Across Our Lands,” directed by Fiona Godivier and executive produced by Joaquin Phoenix, which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2017. In 2018 Thymaya developed a television series called “Scrap” with Samuel L. Jackson attached.
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Stolen Seas presents a chilling exploration of the Somali pirate phenomenon and forces you to rethink everything you thought you knew about pirates. It's November 8th, 2008 and the CEC Future, a Danish-owned merchant ship, is on high alert. Sailing inside the pirate-infested swath of sea between Somalia and Yemen, the ship's captain blinks hard at the radar screen where a light begins to flash. This is it, Nozhkin thinks, and he's right. Machine guns sound on the boat's hull and for two months this 13-man crew will be held at the mercy of Somali pirates, helpless as hostage negotiations threaten their lives and cameras capture every move. The pirates' translator, Ishmael Ali, a single dad who may or may not have stumbled into this controversial role, puts in a call to the shipping magnate's CEO Per Gullestrup demanding an exorbitant 7 million dollars. The shipowner's response is the first of many misfires and communications to come. These two adversaries will have to become unlikely allies as they race against time in an attempt to keep the crew from being killed by their violent captors. Stolen Seas documents the story of 13 powerless men trapped on a ship, and why their captors feel justified in their tyranny. It's the story of a Somali translator who gets in over his head -trying to give his son a chance. With first hand accounts from leading experts on the subject refuting the common misconceptions, Stolen Seas explores theories of what drives a country to piracy, from every point of view. It is a film about a country on the brink, at the mercy of global capitalism in overdrive, and young boys with nothing to lose. And although this story is almost ten years old, recent events by Houthi Rebels in the Red Sea highlight the influence of the Somali Pirate phenomenon on our modern era.