Murder in a WV library? It happened in Racine, Boone County, in 1997. Danny Burnside, a local man with a history of exposing himself, admitted that he stomped and stabbed 60-year-old Nancy Williamson to death in April.

(more…)

 Thanks to WVLC Library Services spending more than $500,
West Virginians have access to The Encyclopedia of Documentary Film, the most comprehensive book compiled to date on documentary films. As Hollywood films have collapsed as a result of vast overproducing and mindless bureaucrats, the documentary film has risen to the forefront. Many of the best films each year are documentaries, and many of the best film festivals focus on documentaries including the West Virginia Film Series at The South Charleston Museum and the Sutton-based West Virginia Filmmakers Film Festival. (more…)

Huntington Public Access TV(Comcast Channel 20) is constantly looking for new material to air — ESPECIALLY film and video work from local filmmakers.  There is NO CHARGE to qualify for airing the work.  There is no unqualified judgment passed upon the finished work.  Unfortunately, there is no cash or trophy prizes — but, (more importantly) there is always a guaranteed audience. (more…)

Julian Samuel is one of the most interesting filmmaker/artists working today anywhere in the world. He was born in Pakistan and grew up in Canada. A while ago he made a film that came to my attention, “The Library in Crisis.” I borrowed a copy from my friends at Filmakers Library, and my life was changed….

(more…)

Kevin Carpenter is a unique person, at least in West Virginia. He received his MA in filmmaking last fall after spending two years taking the new graduate courses at WVSU in Institute, becoming one of the first persons to do so, along with Terry Lively, current prez of the WV Filmmakers Guild.

(more…)

Sam St. Clair, chairman of the Huntington-based Appalachian Film Festival, greeted me at the curb as I drove up to the Keith-Albee Theater in Huntington. I was the second act for the opening day of Huntington’s most interesting film event of the year.

(more…)

Jude Miller, director/producer of one of WV’s most successful recent films, “The Captives,” sent me this picture of the Robey Theater’s new neon sign. It has been showing films continuously since 1908, making it the oldest film theater in the U.S. Miller had the world premiere of her film in the theater in June 2004.

Allen Johnson and B.J. Gudmundsson were joined by Dr. Bob Marshall, Maria Gunnoe and Larry Gibson on stage to introduce the landmark 2006 film production, “Mountain Mourning.” More than 40 people attended the event that began with the first showing of “God’s Gift of a Wild and Wonderful Land.” Both films were funded by The Christians for the Mountains.

Hopefully the leaders of the various Christian churches in WV will have a chance to watch both films to learn about the belief that God wants mankind to preserve the earth, not destroy it. Mr. Johnson was profiled last fall in Bill Moyer’s excellent film, “Is God Green?” and frequently talks about his Christian for the Mountains platform.

 Ray Schmitt and family will be interning Judy and her mother’s ashes together this weekend. I send my best wishes and look forward to working with Ray on his many future film projects. (more…)

Recently the Appalachian Studies Association selected “Morristown” as the winner of the 2008 Jack Spadaro Award. Jack Wright at Ohio University is the administrator for the award. Congrats to Ms. Lewis and the ASA for honoring such a fine film.

Anne Lewis has finally completed “Morristown - In the air and sun,” another masterpiece about Appalachia from Appalshop.   The film took almost a decade to make, traveling from Mexico to Morristown, Tennessee, showing the amazing links between the people who are virtual slaves of a global economy. The rooted people of Tennessee are shown as victims of the toxic capitalist system as much as the rootless workers from Mexico, forced to flee rather than starve. It is a touching, exciting, relevant film.

(more…)