Filmmaker Uses Penn Museum Archives for Personal Documentary on Guyanese Heritage

British-Guyanese filmmaker Noella Mingo has created a documentary titled 'My Dad, Guyana and Me' using archival footage from the Penn Museum's collections. The film incorporates historical film from the Watson Kintner collection, shot in 1948 when Guyana was British Guiana, to explore her father's migration story. John Stephen Cecil Vernon Mingo left Guyana for England in 1948 after serving in World War II. The footage shows Georgetown scenes including a church where he sang in the choir, reflecting the country's diverse cultural heritage. The nine-minute film is currently screening at UK festivals, examining themes of migration, heritage, and belonging. The Penn Museum archives have previously provided footage for biographical films about figures like Gertrude Bell and Ni Pollok.