During the early 20th century, thousands of Appalachians migrated to big cities, in search of jobs, spreading mountain music wherever they relocated.
The new movie “The Mountain Minor” follows five generations of one family that moved from Eastern Kentucky to Cincinnati during the Great Depression. It is loosely based on writer/director Dale Farmer’s own family.
Dale Farmer will conduct a Q&A, following screenings of his film at The Esquire Theatre on October 17 and 20. An after party will take place at Sitwell’s Coffee Shop, next door to the theatre, following the October 17th showing.
“Growing up in Ohio, most of my relatives and neighbors were migrant families from Appalachia,” he said. “This film is about people leaving their homes and bringing their music and culture with them. For so long, they were looked down upon because they were thought to have less value in society because of what many people viewed as their backward ways. They deserve so much credit for the music that eventually became country and bluegrass.”
Though most of “The Mountain Minor” was filmed in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, several scenes were shot in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky.
The movie features contemporary musical artists who are known for folk and old-time mountain music, including the Cincinnati-based band, The Tillers, and Dan Gellert and Ma Crow of the Cincinnati-based Bluegrass band, Crow & Company. Other notable Old-Time musicians in the film include Trevor McKenzie, Lucas Pasley, Hazel Pasley, Asa Nelson, Warren Waldron, Judy Waldron, and Cincinnati native Susan Pepper, who now lives in North Carolina, where she is a singer/songwriter. Pepper produced the film.
Watch the Trailer for the Film
“The Mountain Minor” was presented the “The Spirit of the Mountains” Award by former Kentucky Governor Paul Patton at the UPIKE Film and Media Arts Festival. The film has won numerous additional awards including Best Drama at the Longleaf Festival at the North Carolina History Museum and the Franklin International Film Festival (Tennessee), Best Feature at The Northeast Mountain Festival (Georgia), and Best of Festival at The Endless Mountain Film Festival (Pennsylvania) and The Jukebox International Film Festival (Nevada).
“The Mountain Minor” will be shown at The Esquire Theatre, 320 Ludlow Avenue, Cincinnati, on Thursday, October 17, at 7:00 p.m., and Sunday, October 20, at 7:00 p.m., with a Q&A to follow each screening. Ticket information is available HERE. Information about “The Mountain Minor” is available at www.themountainminor.com.
