A NEW local film, which was accepted as part of the Guyana Film Festival, is being screened for public viewing.
Titled ‘Paimiye,’ it features our national flower, the Victoria Amazonica, highlighting its importance to the ecosystem, our people and culture.
The Victoria Amazonica, or ‘Paimîye’, as it is called in the Macushi language, is Guyana’s national flower. The flower is a remarkable botanical wonder with deep cultural, historical, and environmental importance as shown in the film, which is not screened for free yet.
According to Melanie McTurk, the film takes viewers deep into the lush Rupununi region of Guyana, where the flower is protected, to the few sightings along Guyana’s coastland region, to Kew Gardens in the United Kingdom. It showcases its resilience in its various habitats.
She explained that from its striking flowers to its hidden root systems, the film reveals how the plant supports wildlife, inspires folklore, and relies on ongoing conservation practices for its survival.
McTurk added that the film also tackles the common confusion in Guyana between the Water Lily and the Lotus, two beloved aquatic species in the country.
She stated that through interviews with Indigenous experts, scientists and conservationists, the documentary maps the story, survival and significance of the flower.
Paimîye is directed by Tara Leuvina Smith in partnership with Karanambu Lodge, Mc Turk and was funded by the Environmental and Epistemic Justice Initiative at Wake Forest University.
McTurk told the Guyana Chronicle that the film is aimed at educating our people about the importance of our national flower and the need for it to be protected instead of being destroyed due to its role in the environment.
She related that the film was first premiered in Georgetown at the Theatre Guild in July 2026 and the response was “good so far.”
McTurk added that they are working behind the scenes to have the film screened at schools, and at private organisations.
The film, she said, has since been screened at several places, including the residence of the British High Commissioner and the University of Guyana, and they are hoping to have it screened at Fresh Café at a date to be announced in September for the public, free of cost.
McTurk pointed out that the film, Paimîye, was also accepted in the Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival, and it is a film created by local women which tells the story about our history, culture by characters who are learnt and provided a deep insight about national flower.
McTurk is a Guyanese tourism and conservation leader whose work spans cultural heritage, biodiversity, and community development.
She is Managing Director of Karanambu Lodge, in the Rupununi, where she works at the intersection of conservation, tourism, local knowledge, and community engagement.
A descendant of one of Guyana’s early Chinese immigrants, Melanie is the English Secretary of the Chinese Association of Guyana, and serves on the Committee for the Preservation of Guyana’s Intangible Cultural Heritage. She is also a Trustee of the Binna Hill Institute, reflecting her longstanding interest in the histories, cultural traditions and knowledge systems that have shaped Guyanese society.
Her professional and civic experience includes serving as Chair of the Protected Areas Trust of Guyana, a Board Member of the Caribbean Biodiversity Fund, Executive Member of the Tourism and Hospitality Association of Guyana, and President of Visit Rupununi. Across these roles, she has worked on issues relating to conservation, sustainable tourism, community participation, and the future of Guyana’s natural and cultural heritage.
Her perspective is shaped by a belief that understanding Guyana’s past and celebrating its distinctiveness are essential to making thoughtful choices about the country’s future, while recognising the diverse histories and contributions that have made Guyana what it is today.
Meanwhile, the director of the film is Tara Leuvina Smith, who is a visual artist with over a decade of experience in filmmaking.
Her journey began in 2012 during her first year as a Communication student at the University of Guyana; the moment she first looked through a lens, she fell in love with the art of molding an idea into a frame.
Since then, she has remained dedicated to creating films that capture the essence of a subject through its own authentic voice.
Her academic background includes a Master of Science in Global Technology and Development from Arizona State University, alongside a bachelor’s degree and an associate degree (Diploma) in Communication Studies from the University of Guyana.
