Documenting Our Backyard

By borges, Section Philosopher's Corner
Posted on Sun Nov 08, 2009 at 09:14:28 AM CST

There is a new documentary about the driftless region of Iowa that came across my radar via the VernonReporter who is also making efforts to document our world here in Vernon County. These two, who are reporting on the midwestern rural condition, have much in common. They both grew up in, and care about the changing face of the neighborhood they document. They are taking the time and effort to cover it with respect and fellowship. And in their own way create some high quality work that reflects what is happening in the disappearing space of small town America. We will continue to watch the local work of VernonReporter and happily link to his work.

The Iowa documentary is called Driftless: Stories from Iowa and can be streamed online or bought as a DVD from the site. It covers a wide range of rural issues from aging communities, family farm demise, kids isolated and acting out, immigrant issues and usually avoids sentimentalism and too narrow of a focus that can distort the reality of life. Of course he looks for the characters, and families that speak to a time past and what will be lost in modernization and homogenization of culture, but much of it seems familiar enough to me. Here is a video of a few snippets from his interviews, visit the website for full segments.