Ears on Appalachia
Short Film Block (World Premiere – Lady D)
A dive into some recent work from Appalachia, highlighting its diversity, inclusion, and activism.
Featuring:
ᎤᏕᏲᏅ (What They’ve Been Taught)
Filmed on the Qualla Boundary and Cherokee Nation, ᎤᏕᏲᏅ (What They’ve Been Taught) – pronounced “oo-day-yo-nuh” – explores expressions of reciprocity within Cherokee communities, brought to life through a story told by an elder and first language speaker. ᎤᏕᏲᏅ is a reflection on tradition, language, land, and a commitment to maintaining balance. This film was created in collaboration with independent artists from both Cherokee Nation and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.
A film by Brit Hensel
Told by Thomas Belt
Filmed on the Qualla Boundary, North Carolina and in Cherokee Nation, Oklahoma
Associate Producer Keli Gonzales
A Nia Tero and Upstander Project Production
In association with REI Co-op Studios
Brit Hensel is an Oklahoma-based writer and award-winning filmmaker. A citizen of Cherokee Nation, her work largely explores traditional Cherokee values, language, and her peoples’ connection to land in Oklahoma (former Indian Territory) and in her ancestral homelands of North Carolina (Qualla Boundary). Previously, Brit directed the documentary films, Zibi Yajdan (2019) and Native and American (2017). She was a producer for Osiyo, Voices of the Cherokee People. Brit recently worked on the first and second seasons of the FX series Reservation Dogs and was awarded the 2022 Tulsa Artist Fellowship and 4th World Indigenous Fellowship. Brit continues to use her love for storytelling to help amplify the voices and values of her community. Most importantly, she hopes her work honors and makes Cherokee people proud.
Lady D
Lady D, aka “West Virginia’s First Lady of Soul” takes us on a journey through history. Along the way, she ruminates on being the only Black female blues singer in West Virginia.
Director
Ethan Payne
Producer
John Maudlin
Brett Ratliff
Appalshop Films
Music
Gresham Cash
Lady D
Ethan Payne is a documentary filmmaker based in Atlanta, Ga. His work has been featured in Pitchfork, Stereogum, Oxford American, ArtsATL, Southern Foodways Alliance, Appalshop and The Bitter Southerner. His award-winning short documentaries have made international festival rounds and his first feature-length documentary “The Green Flash” is in post-production.
Trash Trout Mountain Picture Show
The Trash Trout Motion Picture Show is a crowdsourced experimental film and live music and dance performance. This public art project supports ongoing work to protect freshwater ecosystems from plastic pollution.
Filmmaker Tom Hansell worked with the Watauga Riverkeeper and the Town of Boone, North Carolina to collect refuse from the headwaters of the New River in the Blue Ridge Mountains. During a series of free public workshops, participants taped trash from the river to 16mm film strips. Hansell edited the film strips into a 350-foot reel of motion picture film, then collaborated with musicians and dancers Trevor McKenzie and Julie Shepherd-Powell to create a live soundtrack to perform while the film is projected.
Moderated by Lily Keber
