Directed by Donal Mosher and Michael Palmieri, present for a discussion with Mark Elijah Rosenberg (Rooftop Films founder and Artistic Director).
(USA, 2009,80 minutes, Hi-definition Video) Presented with Cinereach and Rooftop Films
October Country is a beautifully rendered portrait of an American family struggling for stability while haunted by the ghosts of war, teen pregnancy, foster care and child abuse. This vibrant and intimate documentary examines the forces that unsettle the working poor and the violence that lurks beneath the surface of American life.
Every family has its ghosts – some metaphorical, some literal. The Mosher family has more than most. Shot over a year from one Halloween to the next, the film uses rich visual metaphors and floats through multiple storylines to paint a portrait of a family who are unique but also sadly representative of the struggles of America’s working class.
A central idea behind October Country is that people who cannot make their voices heard begin to feel like ghosts in their own lives. When this happens they no longer feel they have the power to change their world. At a time when working class families find themselves disenfranchised and trapped by circumstances beyond their control, it is vitally important to give them a voice – one that is neither an economic statistic nor a reality TV exploitation, but a voice that brings an understanding of their lives and an opportunity for change to both the speaker and the audience.
With this in mind, October Country was created to be both a universal story of family struggle and a socially conscious portrait of compelling, articulate individuals grappling with the forces that tear at their homes and relationships. By intimately following one family and allowing each member to reflect upon the problems that beset them, the film gives a personal voice to the issues of economic instability, domestic abuse, war trauma, and sexual molestation. As the Moshers do their best to confront their ghosts, the viewer confronts the broader issues that haunt working class lives. In a key scene, the witchy Denise stands in a cemetery, asking the unseen spirits, “Anybody want to talk to me? Can you tell me your name? Why you stay here?” With October Country we wanted to give the Mosher family, and families like them who feel they are losing their place in the world, a chance to answer.
Recently nominated for five Cinema Eye Awards as well as an IFP Gotham Award for Best Film Not Playing At A Theater Near You.
“I think “October Country” stands out as an extra special tool. It’s an example of a beautifully crafted film,” Thom Powers, Stranger Than Fiction
Click here if you have trouble viewing the trailer.
Cinereach is an NYC not-for-profit that champions vital stories, artfully told. Created by young philanthropists, entrepreneurs and filmmakers, Cinereach funds fiction and nonfiction films from all over the world through three key initiatives: Grants & Awards, The Reach Film Fellowship and Productions.
Rooftop Films is known internationally as one of the most dynamic film festivals in the world, showcasing narrative and documentary features along with short films in New York City and beyond.
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