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Director: Vince O'Connell, Kathy Swanson
Cast: Barry Corbin, Terry Kiser, Mackinlee Waddell
When Hap Anderson, a widowed 82 year old Minnesota farmer who thinks he’s still quite the ladies’ man sells his family farm he finds himself adrift and staring a short future in the face. Motivated by the possibility of showing up with an old flame and impressing his old army buddies, he sets out to attend his 65th WWII reunion in California with his unemployed and unreasonably self-confident and entitled granddaughter. Together, each with their own issues and conflicting agendas, they head west in a dilapidated Winnebago.
Encountering oddball tourist attractions and eccentric characters, they find themselves in seemingly impossible situations with only each other for support. From finding a place that will cash a Travelers Cheque to enjoying a cup of instant coffee, as the journey progresses so does their relationship and they begin to understand and appreciate each other as individuals while discovering that their issues are ageless and that family really matters.
With typical understated Midwestern humor and restraint, ‘Farmer of the Year’ delicately blends the comedy and drama of life.
Plays its Ohio premiere three days only April 16th – 18th! Q&As after each showing with directors and Ohio University School of Film alum, Vince O’Connell and Kathy Swanson. Come see a locally-produced independent film at the Athena for its limited release! Tickets are $6.50 for adults, $5.50 for seniors.
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103 MIN
Bonnie Hawthorne is the director, cinematographer, editor, writer and narrator of Dreaming of a Vetter World. While a film student at NYU in the 1980s, her documentary teacher said there would come a day when one woman could go AWOL from her day job cutting television shows, take off in a tiny camper and make a film with cameras small enough to fit in a purse. That day finally arrived. This film—her first—is the result. Her neighbors back in those NYU days were Jo Andres and Steve Buscemi. They are Executive Producers on this film, along with Bobby Houston, who gave Bonnie her first feature film job.
