June 9, 2008
Lyon College News Bureau
"Southern Fried Saturdays," a short documentary about fun and interesting things for teens to do in and around Batesville on Saturdays, recently premiered at the regular meeting of the Batesville Rotary Club. The film is the creation of three high school students: Rachel Braim of Marcella, Whitney Hembry of Newark and Hannah McGough of Floral. The students made the film in an academic-year community documentary workshop for Lyon College APPLE Project students. The workshop was created and sponsored by the T Tauri Film Festival.
"Southern Fried Saturdays" was made from October 2007 to April 2008. The students met on nine Saturdays during that period with coach and advisor Nicki Newburger and Bob Pest, T Tauri co-founder and president.
"Southern Fried Saturdays" features visits to the White River, Batesville Area Arts Council Gallery, Paper Chase Bookstore, Old Independence Regional Museum, Spinning Wheel Antiques, Desha produce stand, Wendy's Old Fashioned Soda Fountain, Flea Market in Concord and Janine Winter's Cafe.
The academic-year workshop was developed by the T Tauri Film Festival in cooperation with the APPLE program and with the support of the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation.
Pest said he sees two very distinct goals for the project. "On one hand, we are extremely committed to our partnership with APPLE and plan to maintain this program as long as there is student interest," he said. "On the other hand, we are learning what it will take to create a year-round program open to any interested student. That step is probably a few years away; we're an organization that has succeeded by taking deliberate steps after considerable research and planning. But this wonderful film is a very auspicious beginning."
"Southern Fried Saturdays" will be shown to the entire APPLE student body on June 12 and at the regular meeting of the Batesville Kiwanis Club on June 13. It will have its public premiere at UACCB on July 26 as part of the T Tauri Film Festival Awards Ceremony and Finale.
A new group of APPLE students will begin work on a second community documentary project in October.
(From left to right) Whitney Hembry of Newark, Hannah McGough of Floral and Rachel Braim of Marcella are the creators of "Southern Fried Saturdays."