Two new films by Augusta filmmaker Gerald Milnes
2006 West Virginia Filmmaker of the Year Gerald Milnes has released two new films. “Water-Powered Mills of Pendleton County, West Virginia” is about the 40+ mills that once existed in the county. He interviews many people who grew up with the local water mills. The DVD that is being sold by the Fort Seybert Heritage Educational Association includes an interactive database so people can search out information on particular mills. The other film is “Bernard Cyrus - Ancient Sounds & Wild Orchids.” This film is one of several documenting WV’s many old-time musicians. Cyrus is unusual in that he is also a leading regional botanist who has made discoveries and photographed them. Full descriptions are below. Milnes told me that he has a third film coming out soon…..You can now purchase a DVD of his mindblowing film, “Signs, Cures and Witchery - German Appalachian Folklore” which is the single most amazing film I have EVER seen about West Virginia folklore. ( The University of Tennessee Press published his book with the same title several years ago. Reading stories about German hex magic is really impressive. The X-Files even did a story once on the subject. )
THE BERNARD CYRUS – ANCIENT SOUNDS & WILD ORCHIDS
2008 74 mins. Augusta Heritage Productions, Davis & Elkins College West Virginia
Filmmaker of the Year Gerald Milnes continues his documenting of West Virginia’s many talented musicians. Bernard Cyrus lives in Wayne County, West Virginia. He is a musicians, instrument maker, hunter, gardener, tale teller, old-time person and avid regional botanist. “Ancient Sounds” is a term he uses to describe the music he likes and plays. He also loves wild orchids. He has taken photographs of the wild orchids and many other wonders of his beloved West Virginia hills. Official website - http://www.augustaheritage.com/store.html 
Buckhorn Mill, Pendleton County
THE WATER-POWERED MILLS OF PENDLETON COUNTY
2008 74 mins.Fort
Seybert Heritage Educational Association
One of West Virginia’s leading filmmakers and musicians, Gerald Milnes, directed and produced this film documenting the many mills of Pendleton County, West Virginia. Johnny Arvin Dahmer, Grace Dyer, Eston Teter and many others talk about the wonderful world they enjoyed when the water-powered mills were common. More than 40 mills existed in the North Fork, South Branch and South Fork districts. The DVD is also interactive, providing information on the mills. Official website - http://www.pendletoncounty.net/AKpages/page-fshea.htm
