The Mountain Minor Live Performance and Movie

Inspired by a true story set in Jackson County, Kentucky, The Mountain Minor is an award-winning film following five generations of an Appalachian family and the enduring power of old-time music. Join filmmaker Dale Farmer for a live performance before the screening and a Q&A afterward.

The story follows Charlie Abner, torn between his life in Cincinnati, Ohio, and his musical roots in Jackson County, Kentucky. Flashbacks to Depression-era Eastern Kentucky explore the struggles of Charlie’s parents, Oza and Vestal Abner, as they make the difficult choice to move to Ohio for better opportunities. All principal actors are traditional musicians—including Smithsonian Folkways artist Elizabeth LaPrelle and acclaimed banjoist and fiddler Dan Gellert—performing every note of the film’s soundtrack live.