“Willa Cather has long been one of my favorite authors, so I was pleased to share my fondness for her literature in this film. I trust all who watch this new documentary will be captivated by Cather's life and the complex world that inspired the enduring stories conveyed in her fiction.”  - Ken Burns

Willa Cather defies convention. She was both a regional writer and an international literary superstar; her novels and stories transported readers to a lowly frontier dugout or an elegant theater loge with equal adeptness. For more than one hundred years, Cather’s deeply human characters and stories rooted in her own American experience have resonated with readers, and now Cather’s enduring reputation has earned her a place in the National Statuary Hall Collection of the United States Capitol. This short film chronicles Cather’s pursuit of literary acclaim alongside the creation and unveiling of her statue in Washington, D.C. Using archival imagery, Cather’s own words, and observations from contemporary readers and scholars, this documentary invites viewers to revisit and reexamine Cather’s importance to American literature and encourages exploration of her life more fully through literary pilgrimage.

CREDITS:

Commissioned by: The National Willa Cather Center

Directors: Ashley Olson and Ingrid Holmquist

Executive Producer: Ashley Olson

Producer: Ingrid Holmquist

Editor: Ingrid Holmquist

Videography: Austin Blankenau, Brian Fimbres, Michael Hennings, Ray Whitehouse, Jeniffer Beahm, Gabriella Parsons, Ralph Hammack, Tyler Kersting, Ingrid Holmquist

Animation: Tiwa Studios

Graphics: Anno Motion

Sound Recordists:  Anastasia Goldberg, Veralucia Quispe, Dylan Parker

Composer: Bel Canto Duo

Sound Design and Mix: Ignacio Bonet

Voiceover Artist: Laurie Martinez

Color Correction: Austin Blankenau

Nebraska Public Media Producer/Director: Christine Lesiak

Additional Archival Research: Amelia Jarecke, Manon Blackman