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Report on 2006 Film Night at WVLA
By Steve Fesenmaier, Oct. 10, 2006
About 25 people attended the 2006 Film Night in Huntington including local film
promoter Bob Myers. Myers is a co-founder of the WV International Film Festival
in Charleston in 1984 and presently is a member of a Huntington-based film club.
Members include Richard Blenko from Blenko Glass and Judge Tom O'Hanlon and many
other film fans. They show a film of their choice in their homes once a month.
Bob briefly talked about this way of bringing interesting films to his local
community.
Steve handed out copies of his expanded 2006 list of "New and Once Lost Films on
West Virginia and Appalachia, 18 pages long and copies of the fall 2006
Goldenseal with his shortened list. He also made more than 50 DVDs, VHSs, and
books available for one-month loan to attendees. Many of the items were
borrowed.
Dottie Thomas sent her antique-looking (but brand new) popcorn machine down to
Huntington in two pieces. Thanks to Lou Horachek and hotel staff, great-tasting
popcorn was provided for the first time to film watchers. She was unable to
attend because of exhaustion from being up until 3 AM.
He began the program thanks to Julie Spiegler from KCPL who brought a DVD
player, projector, and speakers. Just minutes before the program was to begin
her and Steve solved the technical glitches that always develop.
After a brief intro, Steve screened the 14 minute short by three Pennsylvania
high school girls, "Bringing Down the Mountains" and the newly restored "Harlan
County, USA."
Katja Moos from Innovative Interfaces told Steve that she had always wanted to
see "Harlan County" but never had. She is a native of Germany who has lived in
the US for a decade. She also borrowed the DVD and "Bubble" to show her husband
in Chapel Hill, NC.
Connie Sutton and her board member Charles Bonar attended the event and borrowed
many DVDs and VHS. She recently purchased several WV films and has been
promoting them for home use in Keyser.
Several people had to leave early but most watchers stayed until the end at 11
PM. Several librarians planned on purchasing the DVD for their collection.
Steve talked with WVLC chairperson Kathryn McAteer about inviting her husband,
Gov. Manchin's coal safety expert, to present his landmark film, "Monongah 1907"
at the 2007 conference. Mr. McAteer made his film in 1986, documenting American
coal mine disasters and American coal safety legislation. The West Virginia
Labor History Association presented the film in May 2005 as part of their "WV
Labor History Film Festival" in South Charleston and again at the 2006 History
Day at The Legislature.
Dave Lavender, Huntington Herald Dispatch, mentioned the film night in his
entertainment column, writing, "Just a reminder that one of West Virginia's
beautiful minds when it comes to film, Steve Fesenmaier, is coming to Huntington
next week as part of The West Virginia Library Association. The group will meet
at the Huntington Radisson Hotel and Conference Center on Oct. 2-4 for its
annual conference. Fesenmaier, who aside from his job with the state's library
commission, also books the films at the South Charleston Museum and at other
festivals, will show the Oscar-Award winning documentary film, "Harlan County,
USA," as well as "Bringing Down the Mountains," and clips from "Black Diamonds."
The show begins at 9 p.m. Oct. 2." Thanks Dave.
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