Westbound Screening at the Ozark Foothills FilmFest
Director and Producer to Attend Screening
Westbound, a candid portrait of 96-year-old Adolph Vandertie, Grand Duke of the Hobos, and his final confessions of a life filled with joy, heartache, and addiction, will screen on Sunday, March 27, at 6:15 p.m. at Independence Hall on the campus of UACCB. Sweeping through the Great Depression, Westbound chronicles America’s downfall and return to being the strongest nation in the world. Adolph struggles to achieve redemption by creating an astonishing collection of 4,000 hobo whimsies and tramp art carvings. This simple act of whittling found objects becomes a beacon of hope for Adolph. Westbound strives to preserve the past in the hope of understanding the present by merging unflinching history and unique folk art. At the end of the film, Vandertie offers telling insights into overcoming adversity and the legacy he intends to leave behind.
The film’s music is especially impressive. The soundtrack features a wide range of musical talent, including Nashville duo Sam & Ruby, whose 2009 debut CD The Here and the Now was rated number one by the Associated Press. Adding to Westbound’s original soundtrack are works by singer/songwriters Jill Sobule, Victoria Vox, Kenny Wilson, Adam Mackintosh and Pat MacDonald, electric cellist melaniejane, Mary Patterson, and postclassical string quartet Ethel.
Director Jim Rivett and producer Shelly Young are attending the festival and will conduct a Q&A following the screening. Conway film critic Noel Murray (The Onion A.V. Club) calls Westbound “rife with fascinating details about obscure folk art forms . . . (Adolph) Vandertie’s story and his body of work are compelling.” Admission is $5 for adults, $4 for students of all ages and adults over the age of 54, and $3 for Foothills Film Society members.
First Community Bank is the festival’s founding sponsor. Major sponsors include UACCB; Lyon College; Citizen’s Bank; FutureFuel Chemical Company; Midwest Lime; WRD Entertainment, the Oxford American; Belew, Bell, and Brissey Attorneys; Independence County; the Arkansas Arts Council; White River Distributors; Atlas Asphalt; Mark Martin Ford-Kia-Chevrolet; and the National Endowment for the Arts. Contributing sponsors include Kent’s Firestone, Liberty Bank, Esta’s White River Retreat, Category One Entertainment Group, Life Plus, Bryant’s Pharmacy, Batesville Cardiology, Keith Sturch Photography, City of Batesville, Comfort Suites Hotel, KFFB 106.1 FM, Insalaco Tenenbaum Enterprises, and the Ozark Gateway Tourist Council.
