Duty Free (Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Filmmakers)

Rebecca worked and sacrificed for years to give her sons every opportunity. At the age of 75, she was fired without cause from her job as a hotel housekeeper and left with no means to support herself. As she struggled to find work, her son, Sian-Pierre Regis, documented a journey that uncovered the economic insecurity shaping not only her future, but that of an entire generation. But Rebecca is no frail granny ready to give up on life. At Regis’ urging, she made a bucket list which included expected items such as travel to exotic locations as well as the unexpected like “milk a cow” and “take a hip-hop lesson.” As their resulting adventures gained attention, Rebecca shared her message with the public. “You have one chance at life,” she says, “For God’s sake, live it the way that makes you comfortable. It doesn’t matter what anybody else thinks. This is your life.”

Sian-Pierre Regis is an award-winning journalist, on-camera personality, and cultural critic with a love for both pop-culture and social responsibility. He was a Firelight Media Fellow (2018-2020) and a Film Independent Documentary Fellow (2019). Regis has been a contributor for CNN, HLN, MTV and CBS, covering stories of youth political activism and pop-culture.

Duty Free will be presented online and attendees can view it on demand any time between November 7 – 10. Admission to the screening is FREE which includes a conversation with the filmmakers following the film. Tickets are available at https://watch.eventive.org/southerncircuit/play/611c101990e753032305d5c7

This event is made possible through the Southern Circuit Tour of Independent Filmmakers, a South Arts program. Since its inception in 1975, Southern Circuit has brought some of best independent filmmakers and their films from around the country to communities throughout the South. The program is supported by the National Endowment for the Arts.