‘Wilmington on Fire’ world premiere at Cucalorus

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — The 21st annual Cucalorus Film Festival starts today and one film making its debut this year is a historical documentary focused right here in Wilmington. ‘Wilmington on Fire’ will make its world premiere this Saturday afternoon at Thalian Hall.

The documentary focuses on the 1898 Massacre that happened right here in the Port City.

The film’s director and producer, Christopher Everett, said they have been working on the feature since 2011. Inspired to look into race relations throughout North Carolina, Everett learned more about the Wilmington Massacre during that research and felt that it was a story that needed to be told.

The documentary features interviews with historians as well as descendants of some of the victims of a government overthrow that forced thousands of black Wilmingtonians from the city for good.

“You know, how they were able to steal property and keep it hidden. How they were able to change these certain laws to benefit them. And how a lot of these things are still in place. That’s really what I want people to take away, how a lot of the effects of 1898 are still present today,” said Everett.

Everett said this is a film all people who live in Wilmington should see because this event was such an important one in the city’s history.

Everett said he is excited that his film will play during the anniversary week of the historic event.