Boone Docs Film Festival Zooms in on its Second Year
By Meg Hale Brunton
Last year, the combined efforts of the Appalachian State University faculty and the Appalachian Theatre brought Western North Carolina a taste of local heritage, culture and talent with their documentary film festival Boone Docs For 2023. The event’s lead organizer Beth Davison is expecting it to be just as big of a hit as last year.
The festival will showcase the short-form documentary films from regional filmmakers, and/or films that tell stories focusing on the Appalachian region. Last year’s festival debuted eleven documentaries. This year, Beth says she and the fifteen other judges have already begun the arduous task of going through the submissions to select this year’s films. The films will be judged based on story quality and production quality. “We think about the audience,” Beth explains of the judging process. “Will this play well, resonate with people?” The chosen films will be up for two awards: Audience Choice, and Judges Choice.
“There’s so many great stories of the region,” Beth says. “The film festival is about lifting up stories of the Appalachian area. This is a great way to hear those stories.” She feels that there are often a lot of stereotypes regarding Appalachia, and that documentary-filmmaking is an excellent way to truly showcase the complexities of the region and celebrate the people who live in it. Beth says that this area is well-known for its music, plays and other types of performances. Through Boone Docs, she is hoping to help move documentary arts to the forefront.
The festival will consist of a three-hour screening of this year’s films, as well as a Q&A with the filmmakers and some of the film’s subjects. “What’s cool about the festival is most of the filmmakers attend; I think that’s what makes the festival interesting,” Beth explains, adding that the audiences will get to hear a lot of the behind-the-scenes stories from the filmmakers themselves, as well as get a sense of their emotional connection to the work. “I feel like it’s a fun, family event and a great way to celebrate the region,” Beth remarks.
She feels that, particularly on the heels of the pandemic, many people have been craving a scenario like this event in which they have the opportunity to share an emotional experience with others. Beth goes on to say that most of the films being screened will never be aired on television or streaming services, so this is one of the few opportunities for audiences to see them.
As a filmmaker herself, as well as a professor of Interdisciplinary Studies which includes documentary filmmaking and media studies, Beth is uniquely in touch with what goes into making a documentary. “I’m always aware of films that don’t necessarily get seen,” she says, adding that there are so many filmmakers today because the genre is so accessible. It is the goal of Boone Docs to serve as a creative platform for these artists to help them bring their authentic stories to the world. “The power of documentaries to change hearts and minds – it’s a very powerful way to move people. That’s what we’re ultimately about,” Beth says.
There will be a kickoff event on February 9th at 6pm, at the Blowing Rock Art and History Museum (BRAHM), during which an encore screening of last year’s award-winning films: “Bright Morning Stars: The Johnsons of Hemphill,” directed and filmed by Ethan Payne (Judges Award), and “Alchemy” directed and filmed by Bridgett Fitzgerald (Audience Award) will be held. The festival itself will be held from 2-5pm on Saturday, February 26th at the Appalachian Theatre in downtown Boone, NC.
While Beth likes that the festival is a small-scale event, she says she wouldn’t mind seeing the festival continue to get bigger incrementally. “I would love to do a whole weekend, multi-day event,” she says. “That’s what I hope with Boone Docs – that it’s something that the community members of the High Country look forward to every year.”
DETAILS:
What: Boone Docs Film Festival
When: (2-5 pm) Saturday, February 25, 2023
Where: Appalachian Theatre of the High Country,
559 West King Street, Boone, NC 28607
For more information on Boone Docs Film Festival, visit: https://www.facebook.com/BooneDocsFilmFest/
https://filmfreeway.com/BooneDocs
Or https://www.apptheatre.org/new-events/2022/2/26/boone-docs-film-festival