We are so thrilled to share the news! Our project, Picturing Pigs, has received a grant from the Filmed in NC Fund. Thank you to Cucalorus for the support. We are incredibly grateful.
What is the project about? Picturing Pigs (working title) is a new short documentary film about two photographers who put up billboards in hog country to remind travelers on I-40 that pigs are more than just food. The film features Jane M. Casteline and Shannon Johnstone, who live in Raleigh, N.C., and met while advocating for shelter animals. Teri Saylor is also a photographer and one of our producers. I’ve been so overwhelmed with the joy of collaborating with these women this year. It has been really wonderful.
I drove down for the reception in Wilmington, N.C., on Thursday, November 16, 2023. It was so wonderful to say thank you and meet people in person. (It’s been a long time since covid halted all of those things for me. I really love being at film festivals and feeling the support of the community; it’s so important for us artists.) I’m deeply, deeply grateful for the film community in North Carolina.
On the way down, I stopped at the billboards to take pictures and film more footage. The project is just getting started so I’ve been filming everything solo for the last few months. Our goal is to raise funds to hire talented crew to elevate the story with higher quality footage and audio. I dream of really beautiful footage of pigs and moving music to accompany the story.
The film itself will be an uplifting look at the pigs who are living wonderful lives at animal sanctuaries. They’re loved, surrounded by friends, free to root in the ground, and feel the sun on their skin. Over the last few months I’ve learned so much about pigs, their personalities, and how they’re cared for in my home state.
It has been so humbling and gratifying to start a new project that’s as special as this one. I’m deeply honored by the grant that will help us tackle the next steps in telling this story. We have a lot of exciting adventures ahead of us as we try to tell this story without interrupting the important work these animal sanctuaries are doing. They carry a heavy load and we want to do no harm in the storytelling process.
While this film focuses on the pigs, there’s a lot more to this story. I recommend watching The Smell of Money to learn more about hog farming in eastern North Carolina. You can also read Wastelands: The True Story of Farm Country on Trial by Corban Addison for an in-depth look at the legal battle that happened in recent years.
Do you have questions about the project? Please comment to tell me what’s on your mind!