Viewing: January 29,2026
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Director: Clara Lehman, Jonathan Lacocque
Join us Thursday, January 29th for a “pioneering” award-winning documentary as our Appalachian Stories Film Series continues!
This event will include a pre-show presentation from Dr. Tiffany Arnold
Admission is FREE – Tickets are required
About the film
The word “pioneer” is well-known to anyone who has grown up in America – it conjures up visions of hearty, self-reliant travelers who braved the wilderness in covered wagons to carve out a homestead and put down roots where none had gone before. The term has, thus, come to signify a person who finds a new way to do or understand a particular thing. That being said, we often think of “pioneers” as special people with special abilities or insights that allow them to change society on a grand scale. The documentary O Pioneer, however, tries to push against this notion by featuring three humble West Virginians who have discovered the pioneering spirit within themselves – a blacksmith, a seamstress, and a hospital chaplain – each uncovering the courage and determination to overcome the challenges they face in their daily lives. This poetic and moving tale of human resolve will make you examine your own life and determine whether you have what it takes to blaze a new trail to a better tomorrow for yourself.
About the speaker
Dr. Tiffany Arnold is an Associate Professor of Instruction in the College of Health Sciences and Professions where she coordinates the Appalachian Studies Undergraduate and Graduate Certificate Programs. Additionally, she teaches Public Health and Environmental Health Courses Focused on Appalachian studies.
One of Dr. Arnold’s interests is the way that the Appalachian Region is portrayed in films and in the media, and she draws upon this interest to help others think critically about their own perceptions of the region and most importantly, where these ideas come from. . She will be discussing the Jack Spadaro Documentary award-winning film O Pioneer and why this film portrays Appalachian spirit in a beautiful way during a challenging time.
Check out the rest of the films in the Appalachian Stories Film Series
This series is sponsored by the Ohio Honors Program, University Libraries, College of Health Sciences and Professions, The Department of Social and Public Health, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, OU School of Film, and The Office of Signature Academic Experiences.
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Rose Frech is a licensed social worker with broad expertise in navigating the complexities of the health and social services in Ohio. She has served in key positions in fundraising, policy analysis, program management, and advocacy in multiple areas of the sector, including community mental health, food and public benefits access, Community Action, Medicaid, and early intervention. A longtime social work educator, Rose has had the privilege of teaching new social workers for over 10 years. Born and raised in Athens, she is a passionate advocate for the Appalachian Ohio region. Rose currently serves as the Director of External Affairs at Integrated Services for Behavioral Healthcare, a behavioral health and housing organization serving 21 counties across Southeast Ohio.
Nerissa Young is a professor of instruction in the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University. She grew up on a family farm in southern West Virginia. In her classes, Young frequently discusses the effects of stereotypes in news and advertising and the traumatic effects of “isms” in different cultures. She grew up watching the TV show “The Dukes of Hazzard” and will discuss the show’s significance — its popularity led to the feature film — as a bridge between the rural comedies and films of the 1950s and 1960s and the smarter rural series and films of the 1980s up to the present. She agrees with a statement she once heard, “Just because we talk slow doesn’t mean we are.”
A smart and sharp comedy, AMERICAN FICTION has been highly praised by critics and is considered by many to be Jeffrey Wright’s finest performance in a career full of stellar roles. Featuring a fantastic supporting cast that includes Tracee Ellis Ross, Sterling K Brown, and John Ortiz, AMERICAN FICTION has not only won numerous awards on the independent film festival circuit, but has also been nominated for Best Picture by both the Golden Globes and The Critic’s Choice awards councils.
From A24 Studios, Love Lies Bleeding is a steamy, edgy romantic thriller that could have been pulled from the pages of an old pulp novel. This sophomore effort from British filmmaker Rose Glass (Saint Maud) also features a tour-de-force performance from Ed Harris as Lou’s father/nemesis “Lou Sr.”
Directed by the “Ethan” half of the illustrious Coen Brothers, and co-written by Ethan and his wife Tricia Cooke, DRIVE AWAY DOLLS takes some cues from the playbook of 1970’s exploitation films and features a supporting cast that includes Pedro Pascal, Matt Damon, and Beanie Feldstein. Blending the dark thrills of FARGO with the buddy-system comedy of BROAD CITY, this hip, modern-day road movie will make you keep your hands on the wheel so you can navigate the many twists and turns that only the mind of a Coen Brother can create!