THE FLY COLLECTORS SHINE AT HAMPTONS INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL: HONORING THE END FUND’S FIGHT AGAINST RIVER BLINDNESS

In a year where documentaries continue to push boundaries and uncover untold stories, The Fly Collectors stands out as a poignant tribute to a quiet but profound victory against a devastating disease. Premiering at the 2024 Hamptons International Film Festival, this film takes viewers into the heart of Senegal, where dedicated volunteers are working to eliminate river blindness, a neglected tropical disease that once left entire communities devastated by visual impairment and irreversible blindness.

At the center of the documentary is a group of unsung heroes: the fly collectors. These volunteers undertake the laborious task of catching flies by hand to test for the parasite that spreads river blindness, offering a rare glimpse into the rigor and beauty of the elimination process. As they sit by the banks of the Gambia River, the collectors reflect on their decades-long fight to protect their communities. “The Fly Collectors examines the rigor and beauty of the elimination process.  As the fly collectors sit on the banks of the Gambia River, they reflect on all that has been at stake for their communities over the last three decades,” says Laura Parrotta, Senior Director of Investor Relations at the END Fund, shares, highlighting the significance of their work in a part of the world that once saw 70 percent of its population test positive for the parasite.

Selected for this prestigious festival, the film’s team is thrilled to bring the story to an audience that may be unfamiliar with this harrowing disease. The opportunity to showcase the film in the Hamptons is a chance to shine a spotlight on a disease that still affects more than 200 million people across Africa and to raise awareness about the ongoing need for global health efforts. The staff, along with the director, producer, and ‘star’ Daniel Boakye of The Fly Collectors, will be at the festival screening on Sunday, October 13th, at 11:45 a.m. as part of the Air, Land, and Sea program.

The film’s title, The Fly Collectors, is a fitting tribute to the individuals whose work is critical but often overlooked. These volunteers capture hundreds of thousands of black flies, carefully gathering them in glass tubes to be sent for testing. Thismeticulous process is integral to the region’s success in the fight against the disease. “It is a celebration of the men and women throughout Africa who volunteer to collect hundreds of thousands of black flies. The job of the fly collector is to capture thousands of small black flies in glass tubes, which are then sent to a lab to be tested for the presence of the parasite that causes river blindness. Support from the Reaching the Last Mile Fund — a fund hosted by the END Fund in its first phase — enabled Senegal to collect and process more than 163,000 flies. The processing of these samples confirmed that the country will no longer require treatment in areas where river blindness was previously endemic,” Parrotta explains.

The documentary doesn’t just celebrate success— it serves as a reminder of the obstacles that still remain. One particularly moving scene captures the challenge of finding individuals who had lost their sight due to the disease. “One of the really interesting and telling production problems we faced was actually locating people who had lost their sight due to river blindness. It took a few days of coordinating between local health workers in neighboring communities to find someone who could share their personal experience with us,” Parrotta recounts. This difficulty, however, was a testament to the campaign’s success — a sign that fewer people today are suffering from the effects of the disease. “This shoot was especially humbling and a  necessary peek into the past — a past in which river blindness spread unchecked and left misery in its wake. That scene helped us show how necessary this campaign really has been and the positive effect it has had,” she adds, offering a powerful juxtaposition between the progress made and the work still left to do.

In addition to its cinematic storytelling, the END Fund — which produced the documentary — has a history of using art to raise awareness for their cause. One of their standout collaborations is Reframing Neglect, a photography series curated by contemporary artist Aïda Muluneh, which features work from photographers across Africa and emphasizes the need to end neglected tropical diseases globally. The series aims to reframe Western perceptions of Africa and bring dignity to its subjects. “Art is a powerful means of storytelling and can complement more traditional advocacy efforts, shifting perceptions and connecting with audiences in a different way, ” Parrotta notes, underscoring the organization’s commitment to amplifying underrepresented voices and elevating the stories of those who are directly affected by these diseases.

Another noteworthy aspect of the END Fund’s work is its role as a leading collaborative philanthropic initiative. By harnessing the power of the private sector, the END Fund drives large-scale, high-impact changes aimed at eradicating diseases in affected countries. Founded by a diverse group of philanthropists from finance, technology, and corporate sectors, the fund capitalizes on the significant social return on investment associated with addressing neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). Bill Gates has even referred to it as a “best buy in global health.” Moreover, the END Fund serves as a platform for convening, collaborating, and learning among its philanthropic investors, fostering a community of dedicated humanitarians.

Looking ahead, the END Fund has its sights set on the future, with the ambitious goal of ensuring that no person lives at risk of neglected tropical diseases. Since its founding in 2012, the organization has distributed over 1.8 billion treatments and performed more than 143,000 surgeries to prevent disability and blindness. The fly collectors’ work is but one chapter in a much larger story — a story that the END Fund hopes to close by 2030, when it is predicted that these diseases could be eradicated for good.

“Looking ahead to 2030, we recognize there is still great work to be done to ensure people in need of treatment and surgery have access to it. But if we work together, we have a real chance to write an extraordinary end to the story of these diseases and leave the world a better place than we found it,” Parrotta says. “Collectively, 51 countries around the world have now eliminated at least one neglected tropical disease, bringing us just past the halfway mark of the World Health Organization’s 2030 goal. We look forward to continuing to further this impact, leveraging the power of philanthropy to advance elimination efforts, and raising awareness of these preventable diseases to inspire new audiences to join our cause.”

As The Fly Collectors makes its way to the Hamptons, it brings with it a message of hope, perseverance, and the transformative power of community. This film is not only a tribute to the men and women on the frontlines of disease elimination but also a call to action — a reminder that, in the fight against neglected tropical diseases, every effort counts.

To lear more about The Fly Collectors, visit:  end.org/fly-collectors

The END Fund: end.org

Hamptons International Film Festival: hamptonsfilmfest.org

[Photos courtesy of The Fly Collectors, The END Fund, and Justin Makangara]