"Country School” Documentary Film Project Awarded $15,000 Grant by Humanities Iowa
Producers of award-winning documentaries "Villisca: Living with a Mystery" and "Lost Nation: The Ioway" focus on the Midwestern Country School as a new film exploration.
Des Moines, IA, July 24, 2008 --(PR.com)-- Through their fiscal sponsor, Kansas Public Telecommunications, Inc. (KPTS) in Wichita, Kansas, award-winning filmmakers Kelly and Tammy Rundle of Fourth Wall Films have won a $15,000 grant award from Humanities Iowa to fund a portion of their new historical documentary film project “Country School: One Room – One Nation.”
“KPTS is grateful to be involved in this important historical project,” said program manager David Brewer. “Especially given the high quality of the Rundles’ previous work.”
Iowa and other Midwestern country schools took rough-hewn pioneer farmers, some of whom were non-English speaking immigrants, and transformed them into a literate and patriotic new nation. At their peak, Iowa had more country schools than any other state in the Union. Iowa still boasts the most existing buildings numbering near 3,000, with 200 restored country school museums and over 50 operating one-room schools .
“Whether personally or through a parent or grandparent, the country school as an American architectural icon is as imprinted on our consciousness as the log cabin or the general store,” said Director Kelly Rundle.
“We are very grateful for the grant for ‘Country School’ and the support we received previously from Humanities Iowa for ‘Villisca: Living with a Mystery’ and ‘Lost Nation: The Ioway,’” said Producer Tammy Rundle. “Humanities Iowa has been an important partner in our quest to create entertaining and enlightening historical documentaries on important Midwestern subjects.”
The Rundles’ “Lost Nation: The Ioway” has been shown in more than 40 cities in 5 states since it premiered in Des Moines on October 11, 2007. Many events were near-capacity and several have broken house attendance records. Recent events in Lost Nation, Iowa and White Cloud, Kansas drew nearly 400 viewers each.
“Ioway” recently received a Bronze Telly Award for ‘Outstanding Achievement in a Television Documentary" In addition, the film that tells the story of Iowa’s early Native American inhabitants has been an official selection in several film festivals. It placed second among 42 films in the Beloit International Film Festival and won Best Documentary at both the Iowa Independent Film Festival and the Cedar Rapids Independent Film Festival. “Ioway” is an Official Selection at the 2008 Landlocked Film Festival in Iowa City .
“Country School: One Room – One Nation” is scheduled for release in 2010, though the Rundles say they can complete the film sooner if funding is found more quickly. “Villisca” qualified for the 2005 Academy Award competition and was released nationally on DVD in 2006. “Ioway” will be released nationally on October 7, 2008. The Rundles are also developing documentary film projects on abolitionist Frederick Douglass, the Iowa vs Katz landmark 1949 civil rights ruling, and a light-hearted Scandinavian-American cultural film tentatively entitled “Lutefisk: The Movie.”
For more information, visit FourthWallFilms.com and CountrySchoolMovie.com.
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“KPTS is grateful to be involved in this important historical project,” said program manager David Brewer. “Especially given the high quality of the Rundles’ previous work.”
Iowa and other Midwestern country schools took rough-hewn pioneer farmers, some of whom were non-English speaking immigrants, and transformed them into a literate and patriotic new nation. At their peak, Iowa had more country schools than any other state in the Union. Iowa still boasts the most existing buildings numbering near 3,000, with 200 restored country school museums and over 50 operating one-room schools .
“Whether personally or through a parent or grandparent, the country school as an American architectural icon is as imprinted on our consciousness as the log cabin or the general store,” said Director Kelly Rundle.
“We are very grateful for the grant for ‘Country School’ and the support we received previously from Humanities Iowa for ‘Villisca: Living with a Mystery’ and ‘Lost Nation: The Ioway,’” said Producer Tammy Rundle. “Humanities Iowa has been an important partner in our quest to create entertaining and enlightening historical documentaries on important Midwestern subjects.”
The Rundles’ “Lost Nation: The Ioway” has been shown in more than 40 cities in 5 states since it premiered in Des Moines on October 11, 2007. Many events were near-capacity and several have broken house attendance records. Recent events in Lost Nation, Iowa and White Cloud, Kansas drew nearly 400 viewers each.
“Ioway” recently received a Bronze Telly Award for ‘Outstanding Achievement in a Television Documentary" In addition, the film that tells the story of Iowa’s early Native American inhabitants has been an official selection in several film festivals. It placed second among 42 films in the Beloit International Film Festival and won Best Documentary at both the Iowa Independent Film Festival and the Cedar Rapids Independent Film Festival. “Ioway” is an Official Selection at the 2008 Landlocked Film Festival in Iowa City .
“Country School: One Room – One Nation” is scheduled for release in 2010, though the Rundles say they can complete the film sooner if funding is found more quickly. “Villisca” qualified for the 2005 Academy Award competition and was released nationally on DVD in 2006. “Ioway” will be released nationally on October 7, 2008. The Rundles are also developing documentary film projects on abolitionist Frederick Douglass, the Iowa vs Katz landmark 1949 civil rights ruling, and a light-hearted Scandinavian-American cultural film tentatively entitled “Lutefisk: The Movie.”
For more information, visit FourthWallFilms.com and CountrySchoolMovie.com.
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Contact
Fourth Wall Films
Kelly Rundle, Producer-Director
309-797-0544
www.FourthWallFilms.com
Kelly Rundle, Producer-Director
309-797-0544
www.FourthWallFilms.com
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