Just attended a screening, in Los Angeles, of this beautifully made documentary and literally found myself smiling through the whole film.
It's a beautiful peek into the world of "Old Time music". The people, the music, the dancing ("Flat Footing"),the stories, the history, and the beautiful landscapes in the hills of Virginia will leave a lasting smile in your heart.
Fiddlin'
2018
Action / Documentary / Music
Fiddlin'
2018
Action / Documentary / Music
100% - Critics
100% - Audience
8.0Plot summary
Sister filmmakers, Julie Simone and Vicki Vlasic, returned to their Appalachian roots to film at the Old Fiddlers' Convention for the first time in its 80 year history. It was only after Moose Lodge members realized the sisters were locals and discovered that they knew the their grandpa that the sisters were given permission to film on the grounds. There is an abundance of raw talent in Fiddlin' with most playing by ear. Wayne Henderson, a world-renowned luthier known as the "guitar god," is a master craftsman and enthralling storyteller. His friendship with 11-year-old guitar prodigy, Presley Barker, shows how closely knit a community of musicians can be. Phenomenal female talents, who are all making their marks, reveal the difficulties in breaking in to the bluegrass world. Another female musician describes how music helped her overcome mental illness and saved her life. There is incredible flat-foot dancing and some of the last known footage of Doc Watson visiting Wayne Henderson in his shop. These mountain musicians are determined to pass on their music and traditions with most claiming they will play till the day they die. And when the top 10 ten finalists are announced in the ultra-competitive guitar competition, we're in for an exciting finale.
Uploaded by: FREEMAN
Director
Top cast
Tech specs
720p.WEB 1080p.WEB 847.82 MB
1280*714
English 2.0
NR
Movie Reviews
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Wonderful step into a beautiful side of life!
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Old Time music in Ajax, Virginia
Fiddlin' (2018) was co-written and directed by Julie Simone. The movie is a documentary about the Old Fiddler's Convention in Galax, Virginia.
Old Time music is different from Bluegrass music. Fiddles, banjos, and guitars are the traditional instruments. Drums and steel guitars aren't played. (The mandolin appears in both Old Time and Bluegrass.) The movie's title is misleading, because other Old Time instruments are featured as much as the fiddle. (The name of the convention is misleading in that sense as well.)
The film presents what the viewer would hear and see if he walked through the crowd at the convention. Added to this are many interviews with musicians--young and old, female and male.
I enjoyed this movie, but I thought it was a little longer than it needed to be. Director Simone had all these great interviews with dedicated musicians, and she just couldn't bear to leave some of them out.
The music in the film is wonderful. The musicians are talented, and it's great to see a generation of teenagers who are carrying on the Old Time music tradition.
If you're interested in Old Time music, this is a must-see film. If not, it's still worth seeking out to learn about a world that most of us don't inhabit.
We saw this movie at Rochester's wonderful Little Theatre, as part of the High Falls Women's Film Festival. (There are many younger women musicians, but I assume the film was chosen because the director was a woman.) The movie will work well on the small screen.
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The story of home made music. Love the story of Wayne making a renown guitarist wait for a hand crafted guitar!!
Fiddlin' follows a tradition of a seemly lost musical genre of old time and bluegrass music through the 80th Old Fiddler's Convention in Galax, Virginia. One finds that the music and the players are alive and well and creating great positive energy through this annual music reunion! The young musicians are amazing and talented beyond their years and it's wonderful to see them embracing this historical music! Worth watching!