Mike Sublette at Frog Creek Books continues to provide new WV and Appalachian films to his patrons. Recently he has announced that he will be selling the Naxos DVD of newly recorded music written by Virgil Thomson for Pare Lorentz’ two landmark films, “The Plow that Broke the Plains” and “The River.”

The South Charleston Museum began its 2007 WV film series by showing Pare Lorentz’ “The Plow that Broke the Plains” plus the 2005 Pare Lorentz Award winning film, “America’s Lost Landscape - The Tallgrass Prairie” which was provided FREE thanks to Bullfrog Films. Ken Hechler gave an impassioned introduction to Mr. Lorentz and his life. ( He did not know him, but did also work for FDR.)

Pare Lorentz was born in Clarksburg, WV and raised in Buckhannon. He became a nationally known film and music critic and became a filmmaker in 1936 with the release of “The Plow that Broke the Plains.” He hired some of the greatest filmmakers from around the world including Robert Flaherty who made “Nanook of the North” and Joris Ivens who co-directed the first documentary on coal miners, “Misery in the Borinage.” Lorentz was honored by Gov. Caperton shortly before his death at The Cultural Center. The International Documentary Association gives out its annual Pare Lorentz Award to the best socially conscious documentary, honoring “An Inconvenient Truth” this year.

People who grew up in West Virginia often recognize my last name because it is very similar to the name of the people who owned the last brewery in the state, The Fesenmeier Brewery of Huntington. My branch of the family helped settle New Ulm, Minnesota, officially the most German town in America. It is also home to the Schell Brewery, called one of the most beautiful left in the country. I did write a history of the brewery because all of the relatives who grew up in Huntington at that time, 1980, had left the state. ( Now Michael Fesenmeier, a well-known actor and magician, is once again living in Huntington.) If you are interested in reading my history, visit the great website created by John Salvatore, the son of a well-known Huntington sports writer- The Fesenmeier and Little Switzerland Brewery Museum Website.

The most powerful private person in West Virginia, Don Blankenship (right), was profiled by WVPBS’ Anna Sale in her film, “The Kingmaker.” During the ongoing trial in Montgomery, WV about anti-union activities by Massey Coal against miners working at the Cannelton Mine, part of the Appalshop film “Mine War on Blackberry Creek” was shown in the court room. The 1986 film was directed by Ann Lewis, probably the most productive filmmaker ever to work at Appalshop. You can find a copy at The Appalshop General Store.

GAZZEDITOR’S NOTE: Did you know Blankenship has his very own Wikipiedia entry? Read it here. Not to mention — and we pass the link on only as a public service note of interest — being named one of “The 13 Scariest Americans” by Old Trout Magazine.

Mimi Pickering is seen above with Ken Hechler.

In December 2005, The National Film Registry chose Mimi Pickering’s two films about the Buffalo Creek Disaster for its list of films to preserve for future generations. Public libraries around the state including the Buffalo Creek Memorial Library in Man presented the two films and then Pickering, along with other experts, discussed the landmark disaster. Now you can watch some brand new videos about the Disaster at the following website.

WVFILM is a blog devoted to W.Va. film and video, plus any film or video efforts with a Mountain State connection. The blog’s chief contributor will be Mountain State film expert Steve Fesenmaier. He worked for one of the oldest university film societies in America at the University of Minnesota from 1972-78. He then worked from 1978 until 1999 as director of the W.Va. Library Commission Film Services section. He co-founded the W.Va. International Film Festival, the W.Va. Filmmakers Film Festival and currently programs the WV film series at the South Charleston Museum. In 2006, he was honored as a “History Hero” by the W.Va. State Archives and other groups.