Hey, World: Here comes Art Cullen again
thankfully....
"Storm Lake," the film, just knocked me out of my summer doldrums.
The movie won't be available outside of the documentary film fest circuit until it airs on PBS sometime this fall, but you might be able to snag a virtual ticket to the Provincetown Film Festival. Click: Provincetown International Film Festival. Act fast because an earlier film fest showing of Storm Lake sold out. If that’s sold out, try AFI Docs in DC. Tickets are on sale now for the festival which is June 22-27. Individual tickets are not on sale yet. For you Washington, D.C. subscribers, there will be an in-person screening Thursday, June 25 at 8 p.m., the AFI Silver Theater in Silver Spring, MD. Click: AFI Docs
The film's focus is Pulitzer Prize-winning editor Art Cullen and his family members (John, Tom, Dolores, Mary and Peach) keeping the Storm Lake Times alive. Unfortunately, the traditional newspaper business-model is hanging on by a thread that is likely to break unless a drastic change occurs.
This film is a tale told by Jerry Risius and director/producer Beth Levison. Jerry grew up on a family hog farm in nearby Buffalo Center. His hometown paper, The Buffalo Center Tribune, is no longer locally produced, so he was intrigued by the Storm Lake Times story. And this meant Cullen didn't have to explain himself or his town as he does when national journalists come to Storm Lake for the Iowa Caucus. Risius understands small towns and how consolidating agribusiness changes everything. Clips from the last caucus appear in the film.
In a June 2 piece in the Storm Lake Times, Cullen wrote that Risius called him after winning the Pulitzer, saying he wanted to do a 'labor of love' documentary about Iowa, with the Storm Lake Times as the focal point. The cinematographer has many credits to his resume, including a 15-year stint as director of photography with CNN's Anthony Bourdain. The Storm Lake project brought him home for extended stays as they shot the day-to-day lives of the Cullens and their newshound, Peach.
Risius teamed up with directing partner and producer Beth Levison, and their complementary skills brought "Storm Lake" to life.
I am biased about vanishing local journalism and the 'news deserts' left in their demise. So I am thrilled this film was made, and even more so that it could be a hit.
An avid national film fest fan and producer told me that "Storm Lake" is getting impressive play at respected film festivals, and the producers are surprised to be faced with a sold-out showing.
"Storm Lake" brings to life the reality of what is gone when a community paper is lost. Including Delores Cullen's 'happy beat' where she features local items of interest.
Art Cullen is the focal point of this story, but he'd be the first to tell you there are thousands of country editors just like him. That said, I wonder if there are as many owners today who have the guts to take on their agribusiness advertisers and neighbors who serve in local government over toxins in the waterways and an ensuing cover-up. But that's just what the Storm Lake Times did under Cullen's leadership, and for that, he earned a Pulitzer Prize and $15,000. Whatever monies were left after they put on a celebratory 'jag' were donated to charities assisting Storm Lake Refugees and the Iowa Freedom of Information Council.
In addition to the prize, Cullen has attracted a whole lot of attention. Before the win, his columns often found an audience beyond the approximate 20,000 population of Buena Vista county, and now he's in even more demand. Cullen's opinions run regularly in The Washington Post. He's not a Beltway pundit but writes about living with the stink and red skies on the horizon as a byproduct of massive, uh, pig poop. He brings to life environmental catastrophes by reporting about the anglers who won't eat fish anymore from nearby streams. Click: Cullen, The Washington Post
Thanks to Risius and Levison's documentary, "Storm Lake," as told through Cullen and his beloved hometown, many will learn about newspapers, small-town life, and this existential threat.
Confession. I've been in the doldrums of summer. Unplugged. In denial. This otherwise addicted news junkie has had her hands firmly planted over her ears saying ‘lalalalalal’ when the talking head chattering class come on the airwaves with the outrage of the day.
"Storm Lake" reminds us that we cannot be complacent. We cannot take democracy for granted. And local reporting is a mainstay of an informed citizenry and therefore democracy.
Watch “Storm Lake.”
Local news is vanishing. You’ll get why it matters when you see the film.
Julie
P.S. Art Cullen is one of 15 featured speakers appearing at my Okobjoi Writers’ Retreat (September 20-22). I had no idea this film was in the works when I booked him. There are only 20 seats left for the retreat, so if you want to come, sign up soon: Okoboji Writers' Retreat
Julie, I applaud small papers that take courageous stands. I also know Dixie State University in St. George, Utah, has hosted the DOCUTAH film festival. However, The Columbia Journalism Review posted an article saying Pulitzers are not saving local newspapers: https://www.cjr.org/business_of_news/pulitzers-cant-save-local-journalism.php.
As Storm Lake goes, so goes America.
Julie the Annapolis Capital is at risk. Here is the lead in a NY Times story a cople weeks ago: "Tribune Publishing, the owner of some of the largest metropolitan newspapers in the United States, will be acquired by a hedge fund with a reputation for slashing costs and cutting newsroom jobs, after shareholders voted to approve the deal on Friday."
Tribune Publsihing owns the Baltimore Sun who own the Captrial. Help!
Annapolis was your hometown for a while. Maybe you and Richard need a rescue effort to stay out of the dooldrums? How much could it cost?