Film Fri Jul 31 2009

Filming LaPorte, Indiana

In 2006, former Chicagoan and Found Magazine co-founder Jason Bitner's LaPorte, Indiana placed a focus on the townspeople of the book's namesake, a small town in Northwest Indiana, though photos found in the vast collection of Frank Pease the town's long-time portrait photographer. In my review back then, I said "LaPorte, Indiana could very easily have been all about mocking the yokels -- there are a couple pretty goofy looking folks in there -- but Bitner's commentary-less presentation avoids all that and instead provides a venue for us to examine these people without irony or judgment. It's a wonderful document of a place and time not so far removed from where we are now."

Now, the book is becoming a documentary film. Bitner has teamed up with Emmy-nominated editor and first-time director Joe Beshenkovsky to film interviews with 15 of the subjects from the Frank Pease photos, and follow the lives of several young LaPorteans as they graduate from high school, get married and settle down or move away.

Falling somewhere between The Straight Story, Errol Morris' films, and the Up series, LaPorte, Indiana will help shed some light on how communities help shape their citizens and how people make the decision to stay in the town where they were raised, or why they decide to find their way elsewhere.

Bitner and Beshenkovsky are looking for help funding the project through Kickstarter; you can provide the funds to help finish the film, and maybe even get your name in the credits. The deadline for their goal to raise $7,500 is August 21.

— Andrew Huff / Comments (0)