Historic Forest Grove School wins national designation from Silos and Smokestacks National Heritage Area

Forest Grove School built in 1873 and fully restored is now open for tours. (Photo courtesy Jonathan Turner)

Fourth Wall Films is thrilled to see all of the good news surrounding Forest Grove School and its 150th Anniversary celebration this year. Bravo to Forest Grove on the SSNHA designation. We are SO excited about the premiere of "Resurrecting Forest Grove" on the Putnam Giant Screen September 23!

A wonderful story by WHBF's Jonathan Turner ran today, and we include a portion here. You can read the rest by clicking on the WHBF link below.

There’s a new national heritage site in Bettendorf.

The restored Forest Grove School No. 5 (24040 Forest Grove Drive) has received official designation as a Silos & Smokestacks National Heritage Area (SSNHA) Site.

Ranging from dairy farms and museums to vineyards and tractor assembly plants, there are 110 sites and attractions in the heritage area formally designated with preserving and sharing their own unique part of America’s agricultural story, according to a Monday news release.

In celebration of the partnership between SSNHA and Forest Grove School No. 5, a ribbon cutting will take place at the school on June 16 at 11 a.m.

Read the rest of Jonathan Turners' story at WHBF HERE!

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Fourth Wall Films' Kelly and Tammy Rundle won a Mid-America Emmy® award for their short documentary “Remembering Forest Grove” which screens exclusively at Forest Grove School. The Rundles have won 4 Emmys, and have received a total of twelve Emmy-nominations for their various film projects over the last decade. They are currently in post-production on their feature-length documentary “Resurrecting Forest Grove”. The film will premiere for the country school’s 150^th Anniversary on the Putnam Giant Screen in Davenport, Iowa on September 23^rd, 2023 .

For more information, visit ForestGroveMovie.com.

“Remembering Forest Grove” Documentary Wins Emmy®

“Remembering Forest Grove”, a documentary short produced by Kelly and Tammy Rundle of Fourth Wall Films were awarded a Mid-America Emmy® Award in the Educational (short form) category. The couple also won an Historical Documentary Emmy®, along with co-producer Garry McGee, for their feature-length documentary “Jean Seberg: Actress Activist Icon”. Both of the films had their broadcast premiere on WQPT- PBS.

“We could not be more pleased with the news of receiving the Emmy® awards for our documentary work. We were honored to just be nominated and did not anticipate winning,” said producer Tammy Rundle. “Our deep gratitude goes out to Lora Adams and WQPT-PBS for the qualifying broadcast and their ongoing interest in our work, and to all of the participants and supporters who made “Remembering Forest Grove" possible.”

Courtesy Forest Grove School No. 5. 

"Remembering Forest Grove" highlights the history of education in the nation, one-room schools in Iowa, on-camera interviews with former teachers and students of Forest Grove School No. 5, and concludes with a visual summary of the successful seven-year restoration spearheaded by a group of local dedicated volunteers.

“The Emmy® win for "Remembering Forest Grove" is especially sweet to share with the determined, hard-working visionaries, like Sharon Andresen and Barb Andersen, and professionals, volunteers and donors, historians, teachers and students, who brought the educational icon back to life,” added director Kelly Rundle.

Forest Grove School was built in 1873 and closed in 1957. Restoration began in 2012 and was completed in 2019. Forest Grove School No. 5 is refurbished to its 1920s appearance and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Forest Grove is now open for tours during the summer months and educational classroom re-enactments for school groups via appointment.

"Remembering Forest Grove" is available to view exclusively at Forest Grove School No. 5. The restored schoolhouse is open for tours in the summer, and educational classroom re-enactments for school groups via appointment. Visit ForestGroveSchool.org for information.

Fourth Wall Films' Tammy and Kelly Rundle with their four Emmys.

Kelly and Tammy Rundle received a Mid-America Emmy® award for their environmental documentary “Over and Under: Wildlife Crossings” in 2021, and have received a total of twelve Emmy-nominations for their various film projects over the last decade. They are currently in post-production on their feature-length documentary “Resurrecting Forest Grove”. The film will premiere for the country school’s 150^th Anniversary on the Putnam Giant Screen in Davenport, Iowa on September 23^rd, 2023 .

For more information, visit ForestGroveMovie.com.

"Remembering Forest Grove" receives an Emmy nomination

Our deep gratitude to WHBF-4's Jonathan Turner for sharing our good news about Remembering Forest Grove's Emmy nomination. We include an excerpt from his story and a link to read the rest. Cross your fingers for us on October 29th!

QC Filmmakers earn two new Emmy nominations

By Jonathan Turner, WHBF-4 Reporter

The Primetime Emmy Awards were given out Monday night, but Moline’s Kelly and Tammy Rundle have their eyes on the prizes to be announced in late October.

The independent documentary filmmakers — who own and operate Fourth Wall Films — have received two 2022 Mid-America Emmy nominations for their historical documentary films “Jean Seberg: Actress Activist Icon,” a feature-length film co-produced with Garry McGee; and “Remembering Forest Grove,” a short museum film.

Both of the married couple’s films had their qualifying broadcast premiere on WQPT-PBS.

“We are very excited to receive the news of two nominations and are grateful for the recognition for both films,” producer Tammy Rundle said recently in a news release. “Our deep gratitude goes out to Lora Adams and WQPT-PBS for the qualifying broadcast and for their ongoing interest in our work. We are grateful to all the participants and supporters who made these documentary films possible.”

Read the rest of the story HERE!

The Moline Foundation Awards Grant to "Resurrecting Forest Grove" Documentary

Resurrecting Forest Grove, a feature-length documentary produced by Fourth Wall Films, has been awarded a $2,500 grant from the Moline Foundation during its Spring 2022 cycle. The fiscal sponsor for the project is Truth First Film Alliance, Inc. The grant will partially fund post-production (editing) work on the new film project. 

“Our thanks to the Moline Foundation for its support on Resurrecting Forest Grove," said the film’s producer Tammy Rundle. “The Moline Foundation has been very supportive of our work in creating enlightening and entertaining historical documentaries on important subjects based in the Quad Cities region and we are grateful.”

The Rundles first visited Forest Grove School in Bettendorf, Iowa in 2009 while filming snow scenes for their Emmy® nominated historical documentary Country School: One Room – One Nation. The school appeared to be on the brink of collapse and un-restorable. In 2012, a small group of local preservationists decided the 1873 Forest Grove School No. 5 in Bettendorf, Iowa could, and should, be saved.

Resurrecting Forest Grove, will cinematically tell the dramatic true story behind the seemingly-impossible task of restoring the vintage one-room school to its 1920s appearance. Footage and interviews gathered over a seven-year period will depict the problems they faced and the solutions they employed as they attempted to bring this rural icon back to life. The surprises and successes of this challenging restoration project are intercut with a vivid historical portrait of the 'Roaring 20s' in rural America.

Resurrecting Forest Grove is slated to premiere at the Putnam Museum in Davenport, Iowa in 2023.  For more information about the new documentary, visit www.ForestGroveMovie.com and the film's Facebook fan page.

The Moline Foundation serves as a catalyst and leader in encouraging philanthropy and channeling resources to meet the needs of the Quad Cities and the surrounding area. It serves the donors, citizens, and non-profit organizations in the counties of Rock Island, Henry, Mercer, Warren, Henderson, McDonough in Illinois, and Scott County in Iowa. 

Truth First Film Alliance, Inc., a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in Moline, Illinois, promotes, supports, and encourages the production and exhibition of documentary films, and narrative films based on true stories, through public presentations and educational programs in the Quad Cities region. Free public programs include film screenings and discussions with visiting filmmakers and classroom visits to talk about film and filmmaking with students.

Fourth Wall Films is an Emmy-winning Northwestern Illinois-based film and video production company specializing in Midwestern historical documentaries for public television broadcast and national DVD and Blu-ray home video release and online streaming.  Fourth Wall also provides limited theatrical, broadcast, and DVD distribution services, primarily for our own titles.  In addition, the company provides commercial services to museums, PBS stations, and other film and video producers.

"Resurrecting Forest Grove" Documentary Receives Second Grant from Humanities Iowa

Kelly and Tammy Rundle of Fourth Wall Films have received a major media grant from Humanities Iowa, a state-based affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, in the amount of $8,927.50 in support of post-production editing on their documentary feature-length film Resurrecting Forest Grove. The fiscal sponsor for the project is the Moline Foundation.

This is the second grant award from Humanities Iowa for the documentary project. The first grant provided partial funding for production work.

“We are very grateful to Humanities Iowa for their continued support of this important documentary film project," said director Kelly Rundle. “Humanities Iowa has been an important partner in our quest to create entertaining and enlightening historical documentaries on important Midwestern subjects.”

The Rundles first visited Forest Grove School in Bettendorf, Iowa in 2009 while filming snow scenes for their Emmy® nominated historical documentary Country School: One Room – One Nation. The school appeared to be on the brink of collapse and unrestorable. In 2012, a small group of local preservationists decided the 1873 Forest Grove School No. 5. could, and should, be saved.

Resurrecting Forest Grove, will cinematically tell the dramatic true story behind the seemingly-impossible task of restoring the vintage one-room school to its 1920s appearance. Footage and interviews gathered over a seven-year period will depict the problems they faced and the solutions they employed as they attempted to bring this rural icon back to life. The surprises and successes of this challenging restoration project are intercut with a vivid historical portrait of the 'Roaring 20s' in rural America.

Resurrecting Forest Grove is slated for release in 2021.  For more information about the new documentary, visit www.ForestGroveMovie.com and the film's Facebook fan page.

Humanities Iowa is the only non-profit organization in Iowa committed to bringing the humanities to life and to the public through interactive programming, publications, and events.  Resurrecting Forest Grove is supported by Humanities Iowa and the National Endowment for the Humanities.  The views and opinions expressed by this program do not necessarily reflect those of Humanities Iowa or the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Fourth Wall Films is an award-winning and Emmy-nominated independent film and video production company formerly located in Los Angeles, and now based in Moline, Illinois.

"Resurrecting Forest Grove" Awarded Grant

Kelly and Tammy Rundle of Fourth Wall Films have received a major media grant from Humanities Iowa, a state-based affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, in support of production on their new feature-length documentary Resurrecting Forest Grove. The fiscal sponsor for the project is the Moline Foundation.

“We are very grateful to Humanities Iowa for this grant award for this documentary project," said director Kelly Rundle. “Humanities Iowa has been an important partner in our quest to create entertaining and enlightening historical documentaries on important Midwestern subjects.”

The Rundles first visited Forest Grove School in Bettendorf, Iowa in 2009 while filming snow scenes for their Emmy® nominated historical documentary Country School: One Room – One Nation. The school appeared to be on the brink of collapse and unrestorable.

In 2012, a small group of local preservationists decided the 1873 Forest Grove School No. 5. could, and should, be saved.

Resurrecting Forest Grove, will cinematically tell the dramatic true story behind the seemingly-impossible task of restoring the vintage one-room school to its 1920s appearance. Footage and interviews gathered over a seven-year period will depict the problems they faced and the solutions they employed as they attempted to bring this rural icon back to life. The surprises and successes of this challenging restoration project are intercut with a vivid historical portrait of the 'Roaring 20s' in rural America.

"It has been an exciting experience to watch and document the ‘resurrection’ of Forest Grove over the past seven years,” said producer Tammy Rundle. “It took a dedicated and hard-working group of visionaries to bring the school back to life. It is an inspirational story that will make you think twice about saying, ‘It can’t be done.’"

Resurrecting Forest Grove is slated for release in 2021.  For more information about the new documentary, visit www.ForestGroveMovie.com and the film's Facebook fan page.

Humanities Iowa is the only non-profit organization in Iowa committed to bringing the humanities to life and to the public through interactive programming, publications, and events.  Resurrecting Forest Grove is supported by Humanities Iowa and the National Endowment for the Humanities.  The views and opinions expressed by this program do not necessarily reflect those of Humanities Iowa or the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Fourth Wall Films is an award-winning and Emmy-nominated independent film and video production company formerly located in Los Angeles, and now based in Moline, Illinois.