Photo by Suzanne Opton
Produced by Silo Cinema, Inc. with the support of The Vermont Council on the Arts and The Vermont Council on the Humanities and Public Issues under a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities
Filmed in Orange County, Vermont, featuring Kenneth and Helen O’Donnell and their draft horses, Last Stand Farmer is a documentary record, filmed through four seasons, of the life and philosophy of an elderly hill farmer and his struggle to keep his 19th century farm operation going. Soon after he viewed the finished film, Kenneth O’Donnell died; his widow sold the farm and moved away the following spring.
“Raises interesting questions about the present viability of small farms. Poignant, true, harsh picture. Gives a real sense of the dignity of the struggle. A beautifully photographed portrait of an intriguing couple, i.e., the farmer and his wife, who seem to be relaxed in front of the camera. Has authenticity, sensitivity, honesty, and restraint which are all appropriate to its theme.”
—Educational Film Library Association
Awards and Screenings
- John Grierson Award, American Film Festival, 1976
- Blue Ribbon Award, American Film Festival, 1976
- Gold Ducat, Mannheim Internationale Filmwoche, 1975
- Museum of Modern Art (New York), 1975
- 22nd Annual Robert Flaherty Film Seminar, 1976
- National Endowment for the Humanities National Conference of Program Directors, Aspen 1975
- Television broadcasts over PBS’ Eastern Educational Television Network, B.R.T. Flemish Network, KQED-TV (San Francisco), ZDF (Germany)
- Silver Boomerang Award and the Victorian Government’s Prize, Melbourne Film Festival, 1977
- DuArt Award and Special Merit Award, Athens (Ohio) International Film Festival, 1976
- San Francisco International Film Festival, Television Films Competition, 1975
- Cash Award, Ninth Bellevue (Washington) Film Festival, 1975
- Cash Award, Sinking Creek (Tennessee) Film Celebration, 1975
- Documentary/Social Impact Award, Refocus Fall Film Festival (Iowa), 1975
- International Film and Television Festival, Broze Award, 1976
- Vermont Filmmakers and Friends Festival, Honorable Mention, 1975
- Green Mountain Film Festival, Montpelier, Vermont, 2010
- White River Indie Film Festival, White River Junction, Vermont, 2011
- Vermont Folklife Center: “Visions of Place” Middlebury, Vermont 2011
Letters from Vermont Schoolchildren
Click to enlarge:
Purchase
Purchase a DVD of Last Stand Farmer, including many special features:
– individuals for $29.95
– libraries and museum for $49.95
– schools or colleges for $59.95
plus $3 for shipping and handling by sending your check to:
The Brick Company, Inc. P.O. Box 28 Chelsea, Vermont 05038
DVDs are sold subject to a limited license for non-commercial use, no admission may be charged; duplication, distribution or broadcast of any nature is strictly prohibited.
Oral History Archive
Approximately one hundred reel-to-reel 1/4″ audio tapes recorded of Kenneth O’Donnell in 1975-76 have been deposited with the Vermont Folklife Center in Middlebury, Vermont. This oral history archive will be digitized and available in mid-2012 on their website www.vermontfolklifecenter.org
Selected stories told by Kenneth O’Donnell will also be posted to this site in late 2011.