by Christy Rodriguez de Conte

After years of producing work for CBS, NBC, Telemundo and Univision, Chucha Barber embraces her identity as a storyteller to bring Tallahassee Film Festival audiences a taste of truth in her latest documentary, “Unfiltered: The Truth About Oysters.” The festival runs Sept. 2-3.

Those of us with large sea legs and even larger sea bellies burn into our memory the months that have an “R” in them, to partake in the delicious decadence of an oyster. Though the myth that urges avoiding oysters that have been harvested in the warmer summer months of May through August have been disproven, the allure of the oyster is very real.

Oysters are integral to maintaining our ocean’s health by filtering the waters and protecting our shores from storm erosion. The beauty and substance of something so small can remind us of our purpose, then inspire us to act. For the past few years, Emmy award-winning writer and producer Barber has collected stories and spoken to scientists to capture the alarming realities of a deteriorating ecosystem.

“Unfiltered” delves into the ramifications of our over-exploitation of oysters in Apalachicola Bay and throughout. “What I like most about TV is that it is very scripted. (You know) what you want to accomplish and what you want the viewer to take away,” says Barber.

“With ‘Unfiltered,’ we didn’t know. Frankly, we didn’t know much about oysters — other than they tasted good with a cold beer. In amazement, we looked at each other with so much we learned.” This film joins over 60 others in the 15th Annual Tallahassee Film Festival, an event created to entertain and educate through film. As one of the original founders and leaders of the organization, Barber feels that life has come full circle and is delighted to have a film at the festival.

Barber was raised in Miami in the 1960s and ’70s, a time of significant change for the city and its residents. Growing up with a journalist father and a librarian mother, Barber found a love for language and storytelling. She first branched out professionally in radio, creating sound foliage for a mystery program for CBS radio. Still, the screen called.

After receiving her Bachelor of Arts in Radio and Television, Barber began a career as the Director of Institutional Advancement at the Miami Museum of Science. There she found her footing in film, as she produced “Dig Those Dinos” with CBS, which garnered her first Emmy. “If you can’t be good, be lucky,” chuckles Barber. “It’s really interesting about awards. They are so subjective. Sometimes I create video art, and I think that’s the best thing I’ve ever done, but nothing happens. Other times I’m like, ‘eh…’ and I’ll win an award. You just never know.”

In 1992, tragedy led Barber to Tallahassee. Hurricane Andrew plummeted through South Florida, leaving destruction in its wake. Although Barber and her husband rebuilt, crime activity increased, and their home was burglarized five times in two years. Barber knew they needed a change. So they leaped into their car, drove north, and settled in Tallahassee, where she served as the Executive Director for the former Mary Brogan Museum of Art and Science.

The dedication of producers Barber and Mike Campbell, director Josh McLawhorn, and editor Gabriela Rodeiro gave “Unfiltered: The Truth About Oysters” the wings to fly through the film circuit. It has won over 10 awards, including a 2021 Suncoast Emmy Award. Like most filmmakers, Barber has many irons in the fire and is constantly cultivating new stories to tell.

She uses the ongoing success of this film to propel her into planning the next project. This time, she is leaving the comfort of her documentary roots to play in the realm of television in her newest docu-fiction, “90 Miles.” For seven years, Barber has been researching and writing the story of the Cuban Revolution from her father’s eyes.

Barber does not shy away from rawness and authenticity. What she views from behind the lens captures the narrative journey she’s telling. Her storytelling continues to pave a path forward for filmmaking that connects us back to the earth and our ancestors. “Unfiltered” and many other incredible films will have cinema fans diving all-in at this year’s 15th Annual Tallahassee Film Festival.

Read the article on the Tallahassee Democrat.