River to River: Iowa's Forgotten Highway 6 filmmakers Kelly and Tammy Rundle of Fourth Wall Films have received a Regional (Mid-America) Emmy® nomination in the Historical Documentary category for their award-winning documentary film Country School: One Room – One Nation. This is the first time the Rundles have entered a film in the Emmy® competition following a March 2012 qualifying broadcast on WQPT-PBS.
“We are deeply honored by this nomination,” said Tammy. “And, we gratefully share this wonderful distinction with everyone who helped us make the film,” added Kelly.
Country schools took rough-hewn pioneers and multilingual immigrants and transformed them into a literate and patriotic new nation. Country School: One Room - One Nation provides a never-before-seen perspective on one-room schools in the Upper Midwest. From the first schools in new states to the demise of their widespread use in the 1950s and 1960s, the visually stunning film takes viewers "back to school" for a dramatic new look at the lasting impact of America's one-room schools.
Country School premiered in 2010 at the State Historical Building in Des Moines and has since screened more than 60 times in cities throughout the United States. The critically-acclaimed film was released nationally on DVD in 2011. Iowa Public Television (IPTV) will feature broadcasts in late August and September, and broadcasts on other PBS stations will continue through the balance of 2012. The film was partially funded by grants from Humanities Iowa, Silos & Smokestacks National Heritage Area, the Wisconsin Humanities Council, and the Kansas Humanities Council.
The 2012 Mid-America Emmy® Awards will be held Saturday, September 22, 2012, at 6:30 p.m. at the historic Midland Theatre in Kansas City.
The Rundles are currently in production on a new documentary about Iowa's part of the transcontinental Highway 6. Inspired by the research and photography of Dave Darby, Executive Director of the Iowa-U.S. Route 6 Tourist Association, River to River will guide viewers on a nostalgic classic car journey through the history and charming towns along the 2-lane highway. The documentary is expected to be finished in the fall of 2013.
Fourth Wall Films is a film and video production and distribution company formerly based in Los Angeles, California and now located in Moline, Illinois. In addition to Country School, they have produced the award-winning films Villisca: Living with a Mystery and Lost Nation: The Ioway.
They are currently in post-production on Lost Nation: The Ioway 2&3 slated for release in November 2012. Movie Star: The Secret Lives of Jean Seberg, produced with Emmy-nominated filmmaker Garry McGee, will be released in May of 2013. Visit www.FourthWallFilms.com for more information.
The Mid-America chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) includes television markets primarily in Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Arkansas, Illinois and surrounding DMAs.
NATAS is dedicated to the advancement of the arts and sciences of television and the promotion of creative leadership for artistic, educational and technical achievements within the television industry. It recognizes excellence in television with the coveted Emmy® Award. For more information visit www.emmymid-america.org.
