BELLOWS FALLS, Vt. – Since declaring its own independence in 1777, Vermont has been a beacon, a haven, a refuge, an idea, a symbol, a state shaped by independent and courageous decision-makers, thinkers, political leaders, workers, artists, immigrants and innovators. It was the first state to outlaw slavery, to allow same-sex civil unions, to call for the impeachment of President Nixon, and to protect the environment with Act 250.
As the Bellows Falls Opera House in downtown Bellows Falls, Vt., celebrates its 100-year anniversary in 2025, the time is right to recapture the story of Vermont and its citizens with the 2013 Off the Grid Productions collaborative documentary series “Freedom & Unity: The Vermont Movie.”
Off the Grid Productions was founded by Nora Jacobson, an award-winning independent filmmaker who writes and directs narrative films as well as documentaries. In 2013, she and executive producer Nat Winthrop released her ambitious, six-part documentary series to tell the story, past and present, of Vermont. The film asks the pivotal question, “Does yesterday predict tomorrow?” Twelve years later, this epic journey serves as an extraordinary benchmark about the culture and history of the individualistic state of Vermont, as the country moves into a volatile and uncertain political landscape in 2025.
The deep roots of Vermont’s fabled history demonstrate that citizens and lawmakers alike have believed in unfettered free speech for hundreds of years. This commitment to democracy has shaped the possibilities not only for the Green Mountain State, but led the way for the country to follow. Pushing boundaries in civil rights, education, progressive movements, and politics, Vermont stands as a symbol of safety and courage in order to lead the way for others who seek historic change.
The six-part series will be screened as a minifestival at the Bellows Falls Opera House. Two parts will be shown on each of three consecutive Sundays: Jan. 26, Feb. 2, and Feb. 9. Each documentary is titled as follows: “Part One, A Very New Idea,” “Part Two, Under the Surface,” “Part Three, Refuge, Reinvention and Revolution,” “Part Four, Doers and Shapers,” “Part Five, Ceres’ Children,” and “Part Six, People’s Power.”
Jacobson is pleased to provide audiences with another opportunity to view her documentary. “I was delighted when the Bellows Falls Opera House approached me to screen all six parts of ‘Freedom & Unity: The Vermont Movie.’ It’s been over a decade since we finished the series, and my dream has always been that we would do a sequel. Maybe now is the time, with all the new filmmakers in Vermont. Join us at the Opera House to share your ideas of what a ‘Vermont Movie’ sequel would look like 15 years later.”
Special guests involved in the original series include directors Dorothy Tod, Eleanor Lanahan, Robin Lloyd, Kate Cone, Jesse Larocque, Alan Dater, Lisa Merton, Verandah Porche, Nora Jacobson, Emma Schlenoff, Deb Ellis, Sue Rees, Dina Janis, Megan O’Rourke, Kate Purdie, Tyler Gibbons, Andy Reichman, George Woodard, Dan Butler, and Richard Waterhouse.
Visit the opera house website to find details about all six films at www.bellowsfallsoperahouse.com. Tickets are available through the Bellows Falls Opera House website, or by cash or credit at the door. Visit Off the Grid Productions’ website at www.offthegridproductions.com.