“The Mountain Minor” filmed in Ashe County
“We’re part of a grassroots movement encouraging Appalachians, both in Appalachia and in the places their families migrated, to embrace their amazing heritage….
.…Our narrative feature film, The Mountain Minor, follows an old fiddle through five generations of the Abner Family from Eastern Kentucky in 1932 to a music stage in Cincinnati today. The journey of that old fiddle will give insights into the lives of many thousands of Appalachian families who either stayed or migrated to a land of many challenges to overcome. And, that they did!”
These are the eloquent words of Dale Farmer, director of the award-winning film, “The Mountain Minor.” Depicting the region’s rich heritage with reverence, the film succeeds in bringing the best of Appalachian history and music to life. The film was produced by former Watauga County resident and musician Susan Pepper, and features the talents of many regional actors and musicians: Elizabeth LaPrelle, The Tillers, Dan Gellert, Ma Crow, Trevor McKenzie, Lucas Pasley, Hazel Pasley, Asa Nelson, Warren Waldron, Judy Waldron, Aaron Wolfe, Jean Dowell and Pepper.
A diverse audience will enjoy the film, but those with an affinity for country, bluegrass, or old-time music are sure to appreciate this tale of the Appalachian region. The film harkens to the likes of Jimmie Rodgers, The Carter Family, and countless other early country artists with deep ties to the Appalachian Mountains. These creative geniuses created music that was entwined within the family traditions, religion, celebrations, and everyday chores that accompanied life in the Appalachian Mountains. Without these artists, we likely would not have the country, blues, and rock ‘n roll we all know today. What better place to film such a quintessential Appalachian story than Todd, North Carolina? The “front porch picking” depicted in “The Mountain Minor” can still be heard today in our special corner of northwestern North Carolina.
The Mountain Minor has received impressive accolades including:
- Best Drama at the Longleaf Festival at the North Carolina History Museum
- “The Spirit of the Mountains” Award at the UPIKE Film and Media Arts Festival (Kentucky)
- Best Drama Franklin International Film Festival (Tennessee)
- Best Feature at The Northeast Mountain Festival (Georgia)
- Best of Festival at The Endless Mountain Film Festival (Pennsylvania)
- Best of Festival at The Jukebox International Film Festival (Nevada)
The film will debut Saturday, June 6th on The Heartland Network at 8:00 PM.
Source:
https://themountainminormovie.com/about/
