The short film Cuffe: Taxed is scheduled to premiere on Thursday, August 13, 2026, at the New Bedford Whaling Museum, according to event announcements from Explore New Bedford and Coastal Neighbors. Doors open at 5:00 p.m., with the program beginning at 5:30 p.m. General admission tickets are priced at $10 and are available through the museum.
Film Plot and Historical Context
Directed, written, and produced by Anita Allison, the 14-to-15-minute film is inspired by the life of Paul Cuffe, a Black and Wampanoag mariner, entrepreneur, abolitionist, and visionary from the South Coast, according to Explore New Bedford and Coastal Neighbors. Set during the American Revolution, the narrative follows 19-year-old Cuffe and his Wampanoag brother-in-law, Michael Wainer, as they sail across Nantucket Sound. They navigate around the British blockade to deliver food supplies to the residents of Nantucket while simultaneously transporting an expensive grandfather clock for prominent Quaker merchant William Rotch Sr., as reported by both outlets.
Multimedia Presentation and Live Discussion
The screening event opens with a high-energy music video titled Paul Cuffe Is Me. Performed by Boston-based rapper Daniel Laurent with music by Roy Studmire and featuring dancers from Brickhouse NYC, the opening piece blends hip-hop with late-1700s maritime history to introduce Cuffe’s legacy, according to Coastal Neighbors. Following the film screening, Lee Blake of the New Bedford Historical Society will moderate a panel discussion. The panel features Akeia de Barros Gomes, PhD, Director of the Edward W. Kane and Martha J. Wallace Center for Black History at the Newport Historical Society, alongside cast members Tyson Brown, who portrays Paul Cuffe, and Salustiano Berrios, who portrays Michael Wainer, alongside filmmaker Anita Allison, as detailed by Explore New Bedford.
Fundraising Gala and Additional Screenings
The premiere event is presented in collaboration with the Shallop Voyage Planning Group. Following the main program, organizers will host a private screening and fundraising gala titled “Cocktails with Cuffe” in the museum’s Harbor View Gallery, according to Explore New Bedford. Tickets for the private gala require separate purchase through the museum’s official website.
Worth a look