The 2022 Block Island Film Festival is being held from Sept. 7 to 10 at the Block Island Maritime Institute in tribute to legendary “Island Nurse” Mary Donnelly.Donnelly, who was a stalwart at Block Island’s Medical Center and philanthropist with her Mary D Fund, recently passed away. Her daughter Marguerite will attend the film festival to discuss the impact her mother had on island life.Award-winning filmmaker Sue Hagedorn, a nurse and part-time islander, will screen her documentary profile about Donnelly entitled “Island Nurse,” as one of the festival’s Spotlight presentations. The film chronicles Donnelly’s life, as well as the island’s history.“We are excited about paying tribute toMary D as part of this year’s film festival,” said Cassius Shuman, founder, and executive director. “She was a special lady who cared genuinely for the island’s people, providing financial aid to those in need, while also assisting the medical center with its daily operations.”The film festival will feature a collection of 30 films in four categories competing for the Lighthouse Award: narrative feature-length films, short films, student short films, and short documentaries. There is also a screenplay competition.The festival will feature special Block Island Maritime Institute (or BIMI) Blocks, films that
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