Sanibel

First Run

Join us for the Miami theatrical premiere of Sanibel on the third anniversary of Hurricane Ian’s landfall. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with director Jamie Winterstern.

This award-winning documentary started as an exploration of the people and businesses central to seashell culture in Southwest Florida. Six weeks into production, Hurricane Ian, one of the largest hurricanes in U.S. history, all but wiped Sanibel Island off the map.

As the waters receded, the crew returned to find a transformed landscape and a compelling narrative. What was once a lighthearted film now posed a deeper question: would the community’s love for shells and the coastline endure the overwhelming burden of grief, or would it find a way to heal and rebuild?

Directed by Jamie Winterstern (Supercell), Sanibel premiered at the Naples International Film Festival in October 2024, where it won Best Florida Film.