Filmmaking | Interviews | Local Industry | Vermont

40 Filmmakers and Historians: The Vermont Movie

1 Oct , 2013  

Written by K. Correia | Posted by:

While neither the largest nor the smallest of the New England states, Vermont has forged a name for itself as a leader in firsts. The first to outlaw slavery; the first to allow same-sex civil unions; etc. It is a state steeped in grassroots thinking and democracy. It is no wonder that a project such as Freedom & Unity: The Vermont Movie, which has brought together over 40 local filmmakers and historians, would develop out of this state.

While neither the largest nor the smallest of the New England states, Vermont has forged a name for itself as a leader in firsts. The first to outlaw slavery; the first to allow same-sex civil unions; etc. It is a state steeped in grassroots thinking and democracy. It is no wonder that a project such as Freedom & Unity: The Vermont Movie, which has brought together over 40 local filmmakers and historians, would develop out of this state.

The film is the brainchild of Vermont native and filmmaker, Nora Jacobson. Seven years ago, Jacobson decided she wanted to make a film about Vermont, specifically on how the past molded the future and what has contributed in making the modern Vermonter. She realized that she couldn’t do it alone and enlisted fellow filmmakers and friends to help in the project.

Working together, they developed “themes they thought would carry one feature length film… grassroots democracy, education… the list ended up being 20 pages long,” says Emma Mullen, the production’s Outreach Coordinator. With the help of additional Vermont filmmakers, the list was reduced, but it was determined that a single film could not encompass all that Vermont is and has to offer. It was then decided to turn what was to be a single film into a six part film series. Each film could stand alone as its own work or as part of the collective six.

The collaboration amongst the filmmakers did not end in the production phase. It carried through into post-production, which has taken three years. Local filmmakers such as Jay Craven, Dorothy Tod, Kate Purdie, Kate Cone, Rob Koier, and others were each included in the final look of the films. “Everything has been decided together,” says Mullen, “it takes forever, but it’s unique because everyone has a voice in how they want this project to look.” The many voices that have come together to collaborate on this project are symbolic of the many who came together to build the state.

The six themes or topics of the films are A Very New Idea, which explores the roots of the state, including a look at the pioneers and Vermont’s role during the Civil War; Under the Surface, which looks at the labor wars, the McCarthy era, and those who came to the state ‘in search of an alternative lifestyle’; Refuge, Renovation, and Revolution, which focuses on political thinkers and the rise and effects of the interstate highway system; Doers and Shapers, which takes a look at the connection between education and democracy; Ceres’ Children takes a look at Vermont traditions such as participatory democracy and the conservation ethic; and People’s Power visits the state’s contemporary issues like independence, the environment, and the future.

In addition to being a chronicle of Vermont’s past, present, and prospective future, the films also seek to educate people, including those who live here, about the state. “Often we become so familiar with a place that we don’t stop to ask questions about our own home, our own practice or traditions,” says Mullen. “This project is really important in that it takes a closer look at everyday life here and also the more radical things Vermont has offered the rest of the world, “ which includes an innovative way to make a film series.

The hope of the production team is that audiences will take away an excitement about Vermont and be surprised by the complex nature that has made Vermont what it is today, because there is more than just the beauty of the landscape. “It’s not just praise for the state,” says Mullen; “the films are much more than that.” They are reflective of the spirit and ingenuity that gave birth to a state and the collaboration amongst the individuals that have kept it together. A collaboration that continues to exist today in the telling of its story.

For additional information and screening schedules for Freedom & Unity: The Vermont Movie please go to www.thevermontmovie.com or watch the trailer online.


For additional information and screening schedules for Freedom & Unity: The Vermont Movie please go to www.thevermontmovie.com or watch the trailer online.

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