Van Buren screening documentary filmed about town

3 weeks ago

VAN BUREN, Maine – Last summer a husband and wife documentary film team, Five and Dime Studios, traveled from Memphis to shoot a documentary about the town of Van Buren. Now, the documentary is finished and the town will be screening it at an upcoming black tie event at the American Legion on Feb. 7.

The film team, consisting of Austin and Mackenzie Winder, has created documentaries about other towns, and has been doing this work since 2020. Before filming the Van Buren documentary, they shot a documentary for the town of Victor, Colorado, which is a gold-mining community.

Shortly afterward, they started researching communities in Maine. Austin said they were soon drawn to the border town of Van Buren, which has roughly 2,000 residents.

After hearing about the town’s Acadian Village, the Gayety Theater, and recent revitalization efforts, they decided to reach out to the community to see if members were interested in the documentary.

This is not the first time the town has collaborated with an out-of-state group. The town last year worked with students at Drexel University in Philadelphia on a project to create 10 to 12 art pieces that will sit on granite posts along Van Buren’s Historical Pathway. Town officials later worked with students at Clemson University on a promotional brochure highlighting that the town offers electricity rates significantly lower than the state average.

The documentary was funded with a $7,500 matching grant from the Maine Tourism and Marketing Program. The town council unanimously approved funding the $7,500 match last year.

The crew arrived on July 15 and stayed until Aug. 5, spending nearly a month in Van Buren.

In addition to promoting the town’s assets and revitalization, the documentary will also tell the story of Van Buren’s unique Acadian culture and heritage.

The documentary, called “Reviving the Gateway,” will be screened at 7:30 pm. The event is held on the seventh day of February as a nod to Maine’s 207 area code. 

In addition to showing the documentary, the event will feature live music courtesy of the band French Toast and an assortment of food and beverages.

Attendance is free of charge, and attendants are encouraged to dress up. The American Legion is located on 117 Washington Ave.