I have been looking for a good film about WV white water rafting for almost 30 years. When I first came to WV in September 1978, then editor of Goldenseal Ken Sullivan and I drove down to Jon Dragan’s rafting headquaters because he had a 3/4 inch videotape of a TV program called “The Oldest New River.” The Division of Culture and History paid to have the film transferred to 16 mm film, making it available for the citizens of the state. Ever since then I have kept my eyes open for a great film on the WV white water rafting experience, but not until recently have I found one….at least not one made in-state.

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Film Festival was a 15-minute cable program that I did from around 1979-1996. I interviewed guest filmmakers, showed clips of new films, and in general showed how active the WV film scene was during those years. WVLC Library Television was the local cable station for those programs and many others. You can check out the following episodes at your local public library if you are  interested.

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 Grandmother from Out of Faith

Dr. Fred Pollock, president of the WV Jewish Film Festival, has announced the two films that will be shown at the B’Nai Jacob Syngagoue on Virginia Street, Charleston, WV on August 3rd at 6:30 PM. The two films are - “Be Fruitful and Multiply” and “Out of Faith,” a feature documentary about three generations of a family torn apart by interfaith marriages. More below. Admission is FREE.

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Mike Sublette at The Appalachian Book Company told me that he had a new film on Appalachia - “Stories from the Mines.” He finally got some copies, and I finally made it over to pick it up. What a great film - possibly the best film I have seen to date using re-enactments and historical footage to tell the history of our region.

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On Saturday, June 14th, at the South Charleston Museum - La Belle Theater, at 7 PM, more than 70people attended a program honoring the Belgian glass workers of South Charleston and their descendants. The board members of the South Charleston Museum Foundation presented their finest program to date, focusing on the amazing story of their own immigrant fathers and mothers from Belgium.

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 Photo taken in front of Sutton Lake, Sutton, WV

Dennis Strom, a leading WV filmmaker and theatrical designer, sent me these two picts from the events celebrating 25 years of the WV Filmmakers Guild. I will be posting much more about the events in the future, especially after prez Terry Lively has time to write them up. In the meanwhile, you can check out the two posted picts, one showing the entire group, another showing some of the older, founding members of the WVFG.

Guild founding members (from your left) John Nakashima, Chip Hitchcock, Daniel Boyd, Barton Weiss, Bill Hogan, Jacob Young and Robert Gates - all active still in WV except Black Bart.

Barton Weiss checking out the new WV “Mountain State’s Cinematic Footprints” map created by the WV Film Office.

Barton Weiss, otherwise known around the indie world as “Black Bart” because of his dark hair and searching eyes, flew from Dallas to Charleston on Friday, June 6th, to attend the 25th anniversary of The WV Filmmakers Guild, an organization he co-founded. He was also the first president, way back in 1983…It was great to see him and hear a few of his many tales…He joined other WV filmmakers from all over the state who congregated at the Landmark Studio for the Arts in Sutton to celebrate the auspicious event.

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Morgan Spurlock is one of my favorite contemporary filmmakers, and NOT because he is from WV. His films, TV series, books, and various campaigns have all been very well done, right one, and something we all need. I think that his latest “30 Days - Working in a Coal Mine” is his best creation so far. He really put his heart into it, and I think that he did something that NO ONE has done that I am aware of………returned to his native WV after great success in NYC, Hollywood, Sundance, etc. and worked for an entire month as a real-live coal miner.

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Bernice Basham is one of WV’s leading flower designers. Recently she won third place at the Charleston Rose Show….I think she should have won first place! Here are some picts of Bernice, a great movie fan and a great flower designer, of her at the show…..

The other designs in her class…

Dr. Fred Barkey, knighted by the Belgian government for promoting awareness of Belgian workers in the US, holding his monograph, “Cinderhead in the Hills - Belgian Glass Workers of West Virginia.”

Dr. Fred Barkey, author of “Cinderheads in the Hills- Belgian Glass Workers of West Virginia,” will present his slide show on the Belgian glass industry that once existed in South Charleston on Saturday, June 14th, at 7 PM at The La Belle Theate Admission is $4. Local people of Belgian extraction will be honored for supporting their history. They will also be providing some Belgian chocolate and other food items. The South Charleston Museum has sponsored several Belgian Festivals during the last five years, showing films, etc.

Huntington glass workers, last hand-rolled glass in US, picture provided by Barkey