Legendary Grammy Award-winning singer songwriter Janis Ian performs 15 songs from her 50-year career in this beautifully crafted concert. The program is augmented with archival footage, which includes Leonard Bernstein introducing her at age 15 to sing her controversial hit "Society's Child," and Ian's 1975 performance of her iconic lament "At Seventeen." Produced by Flynn Center's John Killacky.
Holding On features three couples coping with the resultant physiological, cognitive, emotional, sexual, and social issues of disability. Twenty years ago film producer and Flynn Center Director John Killacky (one of the subjects of this film) was partially paralyzed from unexpected complications from surgery.
In the wake of 2011's Tropical Storm Irene, a group of Vermont mobile home park residents who lost everything banded together to restore their lives and their community. This is their inspiring story. By Vermont filmmaker Rob Koier.
2010 was the 75th Anniversary of the Green Mountain Horse Association's 3-day, 100-mile race. GMHA is the oldest horse organization of its kind, and it is still the most prominent one in the Northeast. People move to the Woodstock area to ride the hundreds of miles of mountainous trails here. Told by the riders themselves. Directed by Bill Phillips from White River Junction, VT.
A Vermont Romance is 100 years old in 2016! The first feature film shot in Vermont and funded by The Vermont Progressive Party in 1916 has been newly restored and remastered by VAMP, The Vermont Archive Movie Project, featuring a new musical score performed by Bob Merrill. This broadcast premiere of a landmark film is certainly a thematic tie-in to Vermont PBS's own 50th anniversary in 2017.
This documentary, directed and edited by Hollywood screenwriter and director Bill Phillips (Christine, The Beans of Egypt Maine) profiles the life and career of Sabra Field. The Vermont-based Field achieved fame and recognition for her masterful printmaking. The documentary explores Field's most commonly seen and circulated images - which celebrate American pastoral motifs in New England.
When Mr. Jimmy Moore challenged himself to run 80 kilometers in 1 day for his 80th birthday, his small Mississippi town got behind him to see if they too could "run their age," from age 8 to 80. Mr. Jimmy's quest reveals how a retired railroad man-turned extreme athlete could face the death of his wife and the limitations of his aging body to "enjoy life right up to the end."
Ben Maddox shoots underwater footage of fish in the streams, lakes, ponds and waterways of Vermont. Then he adds his own musical compositions. The result is beautiful and often unseen local fish. A unique person, project and perspective – and 100% local. See more at http://vermontpbs.org/fishpeople
A high-stakes game of hangman for a couple on the brink. He just wants to play the game. She just wants to dodge the question. Are these two ready for forever? A delightful dark comedy adapted from a local stage production.
An obituary writer with an uncanny knack for predicting the demise of newsworthy people faces the ultimate deadline when she foresees her own end. As she attempts to sum up her own life, she confronts her deepest regrets and takes a step that changes the course of her life - and death. This is an award winning student film, winning at the Tribeca Film Festival, Rhode Island International Film Fest
Dino is a short portrait of Taipei noisician Dino. Through interviews interwoven with performance footage, Dino reveals his musical past, his philosophy of performing, and the underlying Confucian principles of his practice.
A 6 minute film about Vermont sculptor Eben Markowski making his life-size elephant out of iron and steel.
This documentary combines over 200 local historical photos with stories and memories from fourteen residents who lived through some of Waterbury's most influential events. These stories, told by the people who lived through the events, give us a unique perspective on Waterbury's history. Includes making of segment with Bill Doyle's Vermont Government and History class at Johnson State College.
Short Films by Michael Fisher - Returning from war, a soldier condemns the girl he left behind for her perceived disloyalty. Starring Lane Gibson, McKenna Lee, Mary Scripps and Brooke Sivertsen.
Short Films by Michael Fisher - A man is in love with the organist at a country church. The only thing he has to offer her is still held tightly by a former love. Starring Matthew Goudey and Jane Beaumont Snyder
Brew Hampshire is an award-winning feature length documentary about the rise of craft beer in the Granite State. It showcases the varying shapes and sizes of breweries in New Hampshire, the fascinating personalities behind their creations, and what it is about New Hampshire that attracts the entrepreneurial spirit.
The Forest Legacy Program began in Vermont and was established in the 1990 Farm Bill to protect forest areas through acquiring the land for public ownership or purchase. This film highlights the genesis of the program in Vermont to protect working forests and the eventual spread of the program nationwide. Four projects are highlighted from Vermont.
Join Vermont plein-air painter Peter Huntoon as he takes us through his artistic process, demonstrating technique and sharing stories. In this episode: Fair Haven, Middlebury, Castleton And Poultney
Peter begins in his Middletown Springs studio, then travels to the Chaffee Gallery in Rutland, paints Silver Lake in Leicester and then off to Shrewsbury.
A visit to the Calvin Coolidge Homestead in Plymouth, painting Spartan Arena in Rutland, at the Epoch Gallery in Manchester and Lefferts Pond in Chittenden.
Peter heads to the Killington Art Garage, the Corwall-Salisbury Bridge, Shewsbury Meeting House and back to the studio in Middletown Springs.
Off to paint the countryside in Goshen and time spend in Sissy's Garden, Mineral Springs and the "House of Blues" in Middletown Springs.
On by! is how mushers tell their dog teams to keep going past obstacles and distractions. Peggy Grass is a grower, a musher, and a fifteen-year cancer survivor.
Capt. George Davenport of the 5th Vermont Regiment was fatally wounded on, May 5th, 1864, in the Battle of the Wilderness, and hastily buried in a Virginia cornfield. A year later his young widow Frankie from Brandon set out in search of his body, but finding her husband was only the beginning of her story. For the rest of her life she devoted herself to the memory of Vermont's soldier.
Profiles the gentle spirit of Maine wilderness guide Ray Reitze, in his element amidst the whispering pines, singing crickets and croaking frogs of the North Maine Woods. Ray shares his philosophy of how to live in harmony with the outdoors to the next generation of guides, grappling with his own mortality
The history of Bolton Valley from the 1920's when it was used recreationally for backcountry skiing through the development of the resort we know today which was built in 1966. The story looks at the past 50 years of skiing and riding at the mountain, focusing on previous owners, staff and guests.
Reminiscences from local residents and a wealth of historical photos evoke simpler times as they tell the history of Vermont's Washington County. Produced by Waitsfield filmmaker Vince Franke and Vermont history students at Johnson State College.
Uses archival photos and interviews to describe local life and history of Vermont's Addison County. By Vermont filmmaker Vince Franke.
Animation about two cats on a boat. Created with paper cutouts and puppets. From filmmaker Spring Yu of Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH.
A short hand-drawn animation about two doomis trying to meet up. From filmmaker Spring Yu of Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH
Meet Hal, 87; Charlie, 87 and Maurie, 87. Three of a group of friends who gather every day at one p.m. in the village of Dorset, Vermont to play a game called "paddle tennis". They have been playing together for years. The Longest Game explores the joys of friendship and inevitability of change. Our time on the earth is fleeting, how do we make the best of it?
Georgia Landau (Barre) and Robin Kent (Brandon) are two artists, each with a unique approach and perspective to their given mediums. Working in clay and wood respectively they use the human form as a departure point to develop a visual narrative that employs humor in documenting our everyday tasks.
Jeremy Ayers (Waterbury) and Jennifer Ranz (Greensboro) are potters tied to structures related to their family histories. These structures, in turn tie them to their communities in unique and different ways, allowing them the freedom to create their distinctive ceramic works.
Isolated, desperate, and haunted by his coal-stained birthright, Father continues his daily descent into the accursed Maple mine—even after it has crippled his ancestors and blinded his youngest son. Set in 1907 and based on director Jesse Kreitzer’s own coalmining ancestry, Black Canaries is a powerful meditation on patrimony, loyalty, and love.
A rapid transition to clean energy is imperative for the future of our climate. But how to make that transition in a way that respects ecosystems, communities, and local democracy? In this documentary, Vermont filmmaker Mark Cline Lucey explores this important question through Vermont's turbulent experience with ridgeline wind energy. The future of our planet may depend upon what we can learn.
Amidst the rising threat of cyanobacteria (commonly known as blue-green algae) in our water bodies which has dominated local news coverage, Vermont filmmakers, father and daughter Jim and Jackie Heltz set out to investigate the possible link between exposure to neurotoxins found in cyanobacteria and the onset of sporadic cases of the terminal disease, ALS.
Environmental sustainability meets structural sustainability in this film of a remarkable building project in New Hampshire. Born from the vision of citizen entrepreneurs Alan and Harriet Lewis, the Alnoba building embodies a spirit of learning, heritage, innovation and community. In this film, viewers meet the people who collaborate to bring this extraordinary building to life.
The VT Folklife Center collaborated with Edgewater Gallery in Middlebury, VT to showcase four regional artists, bringing viewers into “a day in the life” of each artist. Travel to the Adirondacks with TJ Cunningham for a day of plain air painting, explore the hills of Addison County with landscape painter Anne Cady, wander through quarries with sculptor, David Wade, and visit painter Rory Jackson.
The Ill-Made Knight is a story about a 3rd grader named Ella, whose world is turned upside-down when a logging company buys the land behind her parent's home. When her family threatens to move, Ella decides to take matters in to her own hands. She enlists the help of Merlyn, a fictional character from her book, to wage war against the logger (played by Rusty DeWees).
When Ian Sweet moved to the Mad River Valley in Vermont in 2002, he soon discovered that music plays a vital role within the whole community. Since he always wanted to make a music documentary, the music and musicians in the Valley give him that opportunity. Why is the Mad River Valley full of musicians and host to such a diverse cross section of music?
Using a wealth of rare archival films, animation, and traditional New England fiddle music, Together in Time tells a 250-year history of an enduring form of community music and dance.
A story about the people who gathered in New Hampshire and Vermont around the Gilded Age sculptor Augustus Saint-Gaudens to form the Cornish Colony. Although many of their names are unfamiliar today, among the Colonists were America’s first conservationists, landscape architects, and musicians whose legacy includes the Appalachian Trail, the National Park System, and public gardens.
Talking to the Wall follows two New England towns over a period of seven years that make opposite decisions on whether to allow to build. Made by award winning filmmaker Steve Alves, who participated in his town’s battle against the world's largest retailer, this multi-award winning theatrically released film informs citizens about a side of the bargain not shown in advertising campaigns.
The current state of transformation unfolding in Vermont public schools. This film highlights the successes and struggles of students and educators at three Vermont high schools that are making the shift to proficiency-based learning: BFA St. Albans, Champlain Valley Union High School, Harwood Union High School, and Peoples Academy.
Homeless at 13, Liz lived a tragic life of despair, raging behavior and a brutal fight to survive on the streets. Filmed over four years, we follow Liz as she reclaims her life from desperation, to a place of love, forgiveness and hope. Her dreams manifest as she becomes a favorite for competing in the 2012 Olympic sport of boxing.
This short film takes you outside, into the forest classrooms of two Vermont Upper Valley schools: Marion Cross (Norwich, VT) and Hartland Elementary (Hartland, VT) where students are rediscovering joy and wonder through the experience of playing in nature.
Freedom + Unity TV (2018 Middle and High School), an annual film contest and festival for teens and young adults, bring thoughts and ideas of Vermont’s youth to the forefront. We present in two, 1-hour programs, winning films from the festival. Films selected from categories such as Vermont history, arts & culture and contemporary issues.
Freedom + Unity TV (2018 Young Adults) , an annual film contest and festival for teens and young adults, bring thoughts and ideas of Vermont’s youth to the forefront. We present in two, 1-hour programs, winning films from the festival. Films selected from categories such as Vermont history, arts & culture and contemporary issues.
The Grange, or Order of the Patrons of Husbandry, was the heart of rural community life in America in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In one-on-one interviews and at social gatherings, members of the Middle Branch and Riverside Granges—both active in Vermont—reminisce about growing up in the Grange “family” and the challenge of preserving community in a world too busy to connect.
Vermont director Nora Jacobson’s drama centers around the stormy relationship between a mother and her adopted teenage daughter, complicated by issues of adoption. When an object of great significance to the daughter is broken, the mother travels to New York's Koreatown to see if she can get it fixed. A charismatic Korean artist and an adventure of cultural immersion, and adoption await her.
A young Vermont woman explores her mother’s past and uncovers a secret at the heart of her family’s history. Based on an autobiographical memoir by Sybil Smith, the film suggests that the truth–no matter how painful–provides a path to redemption. A 20th anniversary film restoration from acclaimed Vermont director Nora Jacobson.
A Vermont teenager, grieving over the death of her best friend, seeks refuge with an outsider artist who is deemed dangerous because of his mental health history. From acclaimed Vermont director Nora Jacobson.
Follows American skier Aaron Rice as he sets out to ski 2.5 million human-powered vertical feet in the backcountry and set a new world record. To be successful Aaron will have to ski over 330 days in the calendar year and chase snow around the world. The challenge is both physical and mental and injuries are not an option.
A backcountry ski film from a group of friends and dads who set out to document a shared experience and portray the ups and downs of the sport from a weekend warrior perspective. Filmed in Vermont, New York & New Hampshire.
The Vermont Food Venture Center profiles local farm and food entrepreneurs. From hot sauces to grass-fed beef, from veggie burgers to orchardists, these Makers represent the wide range of Vermont-based food businesses.
A new social media network within and exclusively for residents of Vermont called "Front Porch Forum" that focused on "hyper-local" communication. Although almost completely unknown outside of Vermont's borders, within them a characteristically quiet digital revolution was underway.
Stonecutters emigrated from northern Italy to Barre, Vermont, the "Granite Capital of the World." Follow the artisans and their families from quarries, workshops and schools in Italy to granite carving sheds in New England, as they seek their own identities, choosing what to keep and what to cut away from their American and Italian legacies.
This award-winning film shows a day in Mark's life before he had access to "supported typing". In it, a visitor from his intelligent mind tells us what he's really thinking. Described by Utter as a “docudrama with hues of tragicomedy mixed in,” highlights the contrast between people’s perceptions of Mark and the intelligent man trapped inside.
Bridge of Fire is the story of two potters, one an American, Malcolm Wright from Marlboro, Vermont, the other Japanese, Takashi Nakazato, from Karatsu, who originally met as students then lost touch with each other for over 20 years. When they met again they decided to work together in each other’s studios to produce pottery for joint exhibitions in the U.S and Japan.
Portrait of the renowned American landscape painter Wolf Kahn. The film follows Wolf as he paints in nature and in his studio. While painting he spontaneously describes his techniques and the issues that he is dealing with in the painting. His rare ability to talk about his work as he paints offers the viewer insights into the creative process.
Learn about the outstanding conservation efforts of Vermont farmers and how they are protecting and improving soil and water quality. This film profiles the dedicated community of conservation partners, who offer technical and financial assistance to Vermont’s stewards of the land.
Follow ultrarunner Zak’s intensive training regimen and its impact on his relationships as he attempts to run The Vermont 100 Endurance Race. Filmed on the race’s 25th anniversary, the film records the stories of handlers, pacers, and crew members while exploring the friendships that motivate their preparation for this grueling race over 100 miles of Vermont’s paved streets, gravel back roads.
In September of 2016, the band Madaila shut down Main Street in downtown Burlington and brought 1,000 people out for its inaugural Madaila on Main Festival. Check out their high energy performance and learn more about what brought the band together in this new documentary by award-winning filmmaker, Michael Mooney.
The extraordinary story of the June 18, 1864 charge of the 1st Maine Heavy Artillery Regiment at Petersburg, Virginia, leading up to their fateful charge, and the perspectives of the men who participated in the battle and its aftermath.
An intimate look at the lives of four local artists who seek different approaches to addressing environmental challenges through their work. The film was Peter VanderWilden's senior thesis project at the University of Vermont, and it explores the commonalities and differences in the artists’ approach to process, content, participation, and materiality.
At the prestigious Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference a diverse group of accomplished poets, novelists, and essayists recall the turning points in their lives when the power of language first took hold of them. They remember their influences and mentors, share their struggles as well as the successes that formed their craft and style.
Follow a group of Americans who traveled to Israel and Palestine in 2016 seeking to understand what life is like for Palestinians living in the Occupied Territories and in East Jerusalem. The journey became an intense encounter not only with the people they met, but also with their own preconceptions, an experience that for many of the travelers was transformative.
The Vermont Folklife Center’s School Transformation Ethnography / Storytelling project seeks to document and better understand the changes currently underway in Vermont public schools. "Coding" looks at an innovative, student-driven, curriculum track at Montpelier High School that teaches students basic to advanced coding techniques.
The Vermont Folklife Center’s School Transformation Ethnography / Storytelling project seeks to document and better understand the changes currently underway in Vermont public schools. Observe a social studies classroom where students engage in projects about Brattleboro, Vermont history—including the production of a podcast that airs weekly on the local radio.
A selection of four short award winning films from the 2019 Freedom & Unity TV Youth Film Contest, created by students living in Vermont.
Nebi (“water”): Abenaki Ways of Knowing Water was created to share and help preserve the Abenaki creation stories of Lake Champlain, and the deep connection Abenaki people have with water.
The Lake Champlain Basin Program partnered with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and Peregrine Productions to share the history and restoration efforts of Land Locked Atlantic Salmon in this documentary which weaves together the stories of community efforts to improve river habitat through an important dam removal, history and recent salmon research, school projects, and current restoration effort
New Hampshire is not known for its waves, but a vibrant surfing community calls this 13-mile coastline home. Forced to endure long flat spells and brutally cold temperatures, these surfers are bonded by their passion. They find solace in secluded waves and the New England landscape. The harsh conditions only deepen their love for this place, and help show us all the value of home.
The New Hampshire Bindery building was a feature of downtown Concord since the 19th century. This film documents the history of the bindery before the original building was demolished.
In 1941, folklorist Alan Lomax traveled from the Library of Congress to the Mississippi Delta to record an oral history of the blues. Equipped with 500 pounds of audio equipment powered by his car battery, he ventured across nameless roads to discover the most beautiful and harrowing songs ever sung. A film by Jesse Kreitzer of Marlboro, VT.
The story of one family and how they built an empire of theaters throughout New England. Their legacy, the Latchis Theatre Hotel in Brattleboro, still stands as one of three surviving Art Deco buildings in Vermont.
Several Johnson State College students participated in this film that is a combination of stories and history shared by the residents who grew up in the area combined with over 200 local historical photographs. The program shares the history of this community and its relationship with the educational institutions up to the present.
Compelling stories of those left behind when a parent goes to prison. Vermont children and caregivers share their experiences, revealing the complex and emotional terrain they navigate. Insights from a variety of perspectives to increase understanding of this too often invisible social and public health issue. A film by Brad Salon of Bradford, VT.
The economic and social inequities that divide the US and offers a vision of how separated communities can learn to speak to each other. Poignant and personal, the documentary shares the life-changing journeys of incarcerated women and Dartmouth College students working together to write and perform an original play that explores the often painful and troubled paths. Signe Taylor of Norwich, VT.
Watch amateur ski jumper Cooper Dodds take a rogue flight on a historic New Hampshire ski jump.
Rare, authentic footage and exclusive interviews with some of the men and women who made downhill history are combined to chronicle the birth and development of one of America's greatest sports. A film by Rick Moulton of Huntington, VT.
A look at the history of winter sport in the Northeast, including local businesses that have grown out of it, the skiing, skating and sledding champions that hail from this region and the ghosts of forgotten resorts and sports venues. A film by Rick Moulton of Huntington, VT.
Seventy years in the making, this documentary captures the evolution and can do spirit of the National Ski Patrol. A film by Rick Moulton of Huntington, VT.
Made in 1988 to celebrate Mad River's 40th Anniversary, this program captures the founders of the Ski Area describing how it was created. A film by Rick Moulton of Huntington, VT.
Vermont filmmaker Rick Moulton explores a century of U.S. skiing and snow sports, with a focus on the innovative contributions of New Hampshire's Dartmouth College.
A film about beauty, commitment and the cycle of life through the eyes of Donald Dreifuss.
Keene, NH native Jonathan Daniels was deeply affected by the events of the civil rights movement, and in 1963 he joined the NAACP and participated with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the march from Selma to Montgomery. Tragically, his dedication to social justice was cut short in 1965 when he was shot to death in Hayneville, Alabama, while protecting the life of a young African American woman.
Mural painting collective the Walldogs came to Keene, NH for their 2019 festival to paint 16 historical murals in their downtown area. Hear from painters themselves as they create these long-lasting art pieces over the course of three days. The festival organizers also discuss the process of bringing the Walldogs to town and selecting subjects for the town to vote on for the murals.
Filmed from the point of view of its young subjects, A DELICATE BALANCE takes an introspective look at the lives of four aspiring ballet dancers who candidly tell their stories and share their hopes and dreams. A film by Christine Chevarie-Lessard of Montréal. Part of a series of Québec films from the National Film Board of Canada. Presented in partnership with The Media Factory in Burlington, VT.
A meticulous selection of interviews, performances and photos drawn from a vast and rich archival collection, following the iconic Québec singer Pauline Julien on a journey through key moments in the province's history. A film by Pascale Ferland of Montréal. Part of a series of Québec films from the National Film Board of Canada. Presented in partnership with The Media Factory in Burlington, VT.
An exploration of various forms of absence—and its painful impact on our daily lives. The film was inspired by Laganière’s own personal story, of the inevitable estrangement of her mother, whose memory is slowly being consumed by Alzheimer’s disease. Part of a series of Québec films from the National Film Board of Canada. Presented in partnership with The Media Factory.
Canada's mining industry - Using striking images, rare archival footage and interviews, THE HOLE STORY tells the history of mining in Canada, analyzes company profits, and explores the impact of mining on the environment and workers’ health. Part of a series of Québec films from the National Film Board of Canada. Presented in partnership with The Media Factory.
This film accepts the consensus of scientists that climate change has already arrived, and asks-what is keeping us from action? Featuring thought leaders and activists in the realms of science, economics and spirituality discussing how we can evolve and take action in the face of climate disruption.
This film follows climate activists as they march 60 miles from Middlebury, Vermont to the capital building in Montpelier. It asks various participants why the issue is important and documents the culminating action, with analysis from a state rep. A film by Corey Hendrickson of Middlebury, VT.
Meghan Stotko and Andy Paonessa tap 1200 trees by hand, producing wood fired Maple Syrup to support their farmstead in the kingdom. This observational documentary reveals the labor and landscape of this time honored tradition. A film by Corey Hendrickson of Middlebury, VT.
One of the greatest environmental comeback stories in American history. In the early 20th century, New Hampshire's White Mountains were ground zero for a vast disaster caused by ruthless logging and the massive forest fires, erosion and flooding that followed. This is the dramatic story of how unlikely allies saved the White Mountains.
Filmed in 1973 in hill towns across Western Massachusetts and Southern Vermont, this film follows the cycle of the farming year from spring to winter. In its course we visit with an array of elders, who reflect on farming's deep natural patterns, share their family histories and personal memories, and ponder the inevitable forces of technological and social change they have endured.
An annual showcase of short Vermont-based films from the Middlebury New Filmmakers Festival. Featuring four selected films: Carol Street by Demetrius Borge of Middlebury, VT; Twenty by Mia Fichman, Nothing to My Name by Qian Li of Middlebury, VT; and The Quarry Project by Leslie Anderson & Hannah Dennison of Chelsea, VT.
A selection of current work from students in the Broadcast Media Production and Filmmaking programs at Champlain College. This annual showcase offers a look at contemporary subjects and a peek inside the mind of students in Vermont, as well as their learning process.
An exploration of the importance of honeybees in our lives. Topics addressed in the film include pollination, queen breeding, disease control, bee venom therapy, organic agriculture and honey-based plant medicine. The film follows the web of teamwork that makes up Honey Gardens Apiaries. A film by Jan Cannon of Charlotte, VT.
Phil LaCroix is a regular guy - a mechanic, family man and West Bolton resident who lost 7 friends to opioid addiction in Vermont. Heartbroken, but inspired to action, he sets out on an epic run: all 273 miles of The Long Trail in just 10 days.
In the outskirts of Massachusetts, a small community shows us a glimpse of hope in the ongoing opioid epidemic. This film follows one passionate doctor in her efforts to provide treatment, and gives an inspiring look into the process of recovery.
ONE TOWN AT A TIME is a travel documentary film, both light-hearted and insightful, that explores Vermont’s rural heritage through the 251 Club of Vermont – an organization dedicated to visiting all 251 towns and cities in the State of Vermont.
HIDDEN BLUEPRINTS is a hybrid short documentary detailing the history and creation of a collection of wood-scrollwork that was designed and hidden in prison. It tells the story of a champion fighting mantis named Mikey that won all its fights, only to become an enduring myth after being martyred in a corporate prison riot. A film by Jeremy Lee Mackenzie.
Nineteenth century poet Celia Thaxter grew up on the Isles of Shoals and lived most of her life there. This film traces Thaxter's life, her friends, her garden, and the recreated garden on Appledore island visited by hundreds of people each summer.
James Groleau couldn't wait to leave Maine and begin his life, so at 17 he ran away to Boston. And then he went incommunicado -- not speaking to any friends or family for two years. During this time he traveled Europe with the goal of trying to figure out who he was. He eventually returned to Maine, where he now spends summers at his home in Sorrento, tending his garden and working on his art.
The history, heritage and culture of short track auto racing in Maine: seen through current footage and rare archived films; heard through first-hand accounts from drivers, families, and fans. A film by Sumner McKane of Wiscasset, ME.
Arcadia National Bar, a southern Maine bar specializing in classic arcade and pinball games is profiled by video game industry journalist and historian John Andersen. Bar owner Dave Aceto discusses Arcadia's origins and its game-playing patrons.
Explores the evolution of the distillery industry in Vermont both pre and post prohibition. The film includes interviews with prominent experts on the topic. Presented by Vermont Productions. A film by Ian Sweet of Waitsfield, VT.
Too much phosphorus in Lake Champlain poses water quality challenges. The Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) establishes limits the lake can receive and remain healthy. This program highlights the individuals and organizations working to meet these goals. A film by Vince Franke of Waterbury, VT. Presented by Peregrine Productions.
SA profile of the Birds of Vermont Museum, a non-profit institution established in 1987 in Huntington, Vermont. It was created to preserve and exhibit a collection of lifelike bird carvings for the purpose of educating people about the role of birds in the ecosystem. A film by Vince Franke of Waterbury, VT. Presented by Peregrine Productions.
Stories which explore the relationships and traditions that have helped keep northeastern forests intact - how both human and natural communities are adapting to change. These short films by filmmaker Ben Silberfarb, and supported through The Center for Northern Woodlands Education, describe how the land is managed today for a variety of uses, and the particular importance of forests.
An exploration of Maine's "Great Mountain" and how people from many walks of life have found spiritual solace and strength there. This film captures the spirit of Katahdin and explores ways of thinking about the wilderness. A film by Huey of Portland, ME.
ON VIEW brings viewers inside the exhibits at Vermont's dynamic museums. Collectors, curators and artists share the rich history and stories behind objects on view. ON VIEW was produced by RETN and co-created with the Fleming Museum. Presented by The Media Factory in Burlington, VT.
A showcase of 5 short films from New England celebrating women's stories and perspectives: MEET THE ARTIST: MELISSA GLICK by filmmaker Sara Pagiaro; THE LONG HAUL by filmmaker Chloe White; WINTER'S WATCH by filmmaker Brian Bolster; ELEGIES a collaboration between Eiko Otake, John R. Killacky, and Brian Stevenson; and IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF REGINA JONAS produced by The Jewish Women's Archive.
Artist Melissa Glick finds beauty in unexpected places. She takes things apart and re-purposes them. She transforms discarded electronics and outdated computer components into dynamic compositions within assemblage, jewelry, mosaics and clocks. A film by Sara Pagiaro.
Follow a Maine lobster fisherwoman as she heads out to sea. It appears as a dream removed from the particulars of her circumstances and so in her melancholy narration she might not just be describing her own life alone, but also ours. A film by Chloe White.
Ten miles off the coast of mainland New England, the Oceanic Hotel is home to guests who visit during the warmer spring and summer months. Off-season, the hotel is home to a single winter caretaker who braves the cold Winter months. A film by Brian Bolster.
A video collaboration between Eiko Otake, John R. Killacky, and Brian Stevenson. In this short film, John and Eiko speak to their dead mothers.
This film follows America’s pioneering women rabbis as they travel to Berlin and Terezin with a special delegation of American Jewish historians, rabbis, and communal leaders to rescue Regina Jonas, the first woman to be ordained as a Rabbi, from the oblivion of the Holocaust. Presented by The Jewish Women's Archive.
The epic story of how legal legend Mary Bonauto partnered with small-town Vermont lawyers Beth Robinson and Susan Murray in a 2-decade struggle that built the foundation for the entire marriage equality movement. From winning groundbreaking LGBT legal recognition for same sex couples in 2000, to becoming the first state to enact same sex marriage through a dramatic legislative vote in 2009.
Originally created for public school staff, teachers, and administrators in Vermont, this film was commissioned by the Vermont-NEA Racial Justice Task Force in collaboration with the National Education Association. The film includes interviews with parents, community members, educators, and students who share their accounts of living in and going to school in Vermont.
An inside look at the Ivy League football experience of Black players at Dartmouth College. Three players address the challenges of coming to rural NH for college. Football coach Buddy Teevens, as well as Callie Brownson, are featured as they open up about these players’ impact, and discuss the program as a whole. A film by Elizabeth Jenny.
Dan Higgins, photographer, does not take pictures; he makes them. By collaborating with his subjects Higgins gains insight into often overlooked cultures. While much of the film revolves around Higgins’ work in Winooski, Vermont, this documentary would appeal to anyone interested in small towns and their fate. His remarkable images from the 1970s through 2019 reveal the social impact of the town.
Selections from the Northeast Historic Film vaults - family-donated collections of life and work since the early 1900s. A saunter through our 10 million feet of vintage amateur films and home movies - from Allan Preble Robinson’s horse-drawn logging on deep snow to Veilleux family lobster bakes; from E.B. White’s saltwater farm and the building of his son’s boat, to the Horovitz Family Collection.
This film explores the human relationship to the natural world through an experimental structure: one-by-one, a series of scientists, hunters, paragliders, artists, and naturalists are brought to a small patch of field and forest in midcoast Maine, and left to wander freely. Filmed in all four seasons. A film by Ian Cheney of Waldoboro, Maine. Presented by Wicked Delicate Films.
In the late 1950s a group of ski enthusiasts in Maine built a ski area on Spruce Mountain in North Jay. They cleared trails, bought and installed a rope tow, built a warm-up hut, and sold tickets. It was a great little slope, and lots of people came to ski, but access to the area was difficult, so after two short seasons they decided to move the entire operation to a hilly cow pasture.
When Covid-19 became a reality in the US, filmmakers documented the shift within 10 businesses in Vermont who make it their mission to take care of their community first and help Vermont come out stronger. This story shows how we are all connected.