"A eulogy for a rural way of life that is disappearing, but it also serves as a clarion call for all of us to preserve what’s left and what matters." — Ben Doyle, President of the Preservation Trust of Vermont | OFFICIAL SELECTION - Middlebury New Filmmakers Festival
Vanishing America • American History & Heritage • Architectural History • Agricultural History • Visual Preservation • Photographic Art • Vanishing CultureDate of Completion: 2024 | Run Time: 77 minutes | Language: English | Captions: Yes | Includes: Transcript | Director/Producer/Writer: Jim Westphalen
VANISH chronicles the “visual preservation” adventures of fine art photographer, Jim Westphalen, as he travels across the country seeking out and creating stunning imagery of America’s disappearing rural structures. Equal parts art, history and storm chasing, road-trip with Westphalen as he races against time and the unrelenting elements to capture the extraordinary beauty of aging barns, one room schoolhouses, grain elevators, prairie churches and all the classic structures that our country’s rural heritage was built upon. The film also features deep dive interviews with preservation experts as well as the passionate people who strive and struggle to save these fading treasures, sharing their intimate stories of dreams, loss and triumphs.
FESTIVALS
Middlebury New Filmmakers Festival