About the film
In 2017 an untitled, silent 16mm film reel from the 1970s was discovered in storage in Boone, NC. The heavily spliced film, made by local photographer George Flowers, juxtaposes images of idyllic Appalachian landscapes with piles of trash, rusting vehicles, black smoke, dirty water and a pig. When Flowers made the film, he was clearly influenced by the psychedelic culture of the day as well as by views at that time about environmental conditions. The 1970s were a watershed moment in American environmental history. Partly because of images like those that George Flowers captured, the Federal government enacted sweeping environmental laws. Now, 50 years later, what might a Flowers-like film reflect? DocuAppalachia compares scenes from the Flowers film to those same scenes in the 21st century and reflects on what has changed and what has remained the same in the rural southern Appalachian mountains.
About the Speakers:
Beth Davison (PhD) is a faculty member and Co-Director of University Documentary Film Services at Appalachian State University. She teaches documentary studies and research methods at the university. Her documentaries have screened internationally and on PBS stations. She works ongoing with many community partners including her work with the National Park Service.
Dr. Kristan Cockerill is an interdisciplinary scholar who studies the connections among culture, science, and environmental conditions. She is a professor at Appalachian State University and works with a variety of organizations. This is her first collaboration on a documentary!
Dr. Eric Plaag is the principal consultant at Carolina Historical Consulting, LLC, and also serves as Chairperson of the Boone Historic Preservation Commission and the Chairperson of the Digital Watauga Project. He earned his doctorate in American History with a specialization in Historic Preservation at the University of South Carolina in 2006. He has been instrumental in a number of preservation efforts throughout the Carolinas in general and Watauga County in particular. He has lived in Boone since 2011.