Last Updated on February 21, 2022 3:50 pm
BOONE, N.C. — The Appalachian Theatre of the High Country (ATHC) is proud to
announce the first annual BOONE DOCS FILM FESTIVAL from 4 to 7 p.m. on Saturday,
February 26 at their historic venue in downtown Boone, NC. This inaugural festival
features eleven short-form documentary films focusing on or from the Appalachian
region. The screenings run over a three-hour period and include conversations with
filmmakers and participants, with audience members invited to vote on the “Audience
Choice Award” at the conclusion of the event.
The festival is a collaborative project between the theatre and the Appalachian State
University faculty with a shared goal of providing a creative platform for authentic stories
about the beauty and complexity of Appalachian life and culture that extends beyond
common stereotypes. Festival organizer Beth Davidson said, “the stories in these
documentaries showcase exciting new voices from a diverse range of mountain
communities.”
Eleven short films by filmmakers from six different states were selected to screen at the
festival. The documentaries range from four to 24 minutes in duration and explore both
the joy and the pain of life in these mountains. Topics range from the seriousness of
suicide and issues faced by trans youth, to the choreography of dance with snowboarding,
being a radio DJ, and motocross racing. Mountain landscapes, music and art are woven
through each film, allowing the beauty of the region to shine through.
Filmmaker and festival juror Anne Ward summarized the screening selections saying “I
was so impressed with the quality of the work that was submitted. The films we selected
offer a great representation of the visions and voices in the Appalachian region today.”
The festival kicks off with a separate event 7 p.m. on Thursday, February 24 at the Belk
Library Room 114 on the Appalachian State campus during a free public screening of two
Appalachian-focused documentaries, “Theirs Is The Kingdom” and “Fog Likely Farm.”
Free parking is available in the library parking deck.
The following is a complete line-up of films featured during the inaugural BOONE DOCS
FILM FESTIVAL:
“26 South Main St.” – Directors: Gabi Metzger and Brooke Randle
“Alchemy”– Director: Bridget Fitzgerald
“As Long As You Can” – Directors: Nikole Lee, Ellie Mullins
“Bright Morning Stars: The Johnsons of Hemphill” – Director: Ethan Payne
“Brother Samuel Tate: A Life on Air” – Director: Willard Watson
“Get What You Give” – Director: Lucas Pruitt
“Joyous Snow Rendezvous” – Director: Amber Patee Adams
“Pottero” – Director: Lindsey Martin
“Rudy's Watches” – Director: Jordan Clark
“Wild & Scenic” – Director: Jesse Aaron Barber
“Work Sticks: Art, Impermanence, & Childhood in an East Tennessee Town” –
Director: Shara K. Lange
Tickets to the BOONE DOCS FILM FESTIVAL at the Appalachian Theatre are $10 each
and available for purchase online via ATHC’s touchless ticketing portal on the theatre’s
website, www.apptheatre.org. Seating is reserved with spaced seating between groups.
The Appalachian Theatre, located at 559 W. King Street in the heart of downtown Boone,
is committed to the safety and well-being of its community and will continue to follow the
guidance of health and governmental officials in the development and implementation of
COVID related policies.
