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Submitted poto.
Submitted poto.
Submitted Photo
Four years ago, rodeo weekend 2019, Chad Faries brought a couple of filmmakers to Iron River to document the production of a play written by Jazmine Faries, his little sister and remarkable woman living with Down syndrome. No one really knew what would come about, but Chad had known for years that there was a good story there. The result was an award-winning feature length documentary that will finally have its Iron River premier July 9, at 3 p.m. at the Windsor Center.
Jazmine Faries is obsessed with soap operas, Barbie dolls and Matthew McConaughey. For five summers, her family performed her original stage-plays for a small audience in Iron River. The plays started in the Faries’ garage at their Homer Road location, and moved up to the Windsor Center in Season 4. The documentary follows the creative process of writing, rehearsing and performing the Sixth Season. Family bonds between her brother, Chad, and her mother, Kate, are strengthened and put to the test by the mishaps and chaos of coordinating a production with limited resources. Along the way we see Jazmine’s personal struggle for independence, her yearning for a romantic partner, and how a single spark of creativity can spread joy throughout a community.
Iron River is like a main character in the documentary, featuring stunning images from the landscape, the rodeo, the museum, and the people who have made this place their home. But the true star is Jazmine Faries, performer extraordinaire, local Zumba diva, and a woman with what she calls “a double life” which is her own personal alternate reality filled with Hollywood celebrity friendships and relationships.
Pat and Anne Longstreth, the directors, really had no idea what they were in for when Chad recruited them to come to Iron River and film for a “couple of days” in 2019. The Longstreths turned the opportunity in to their summer vacation from Savannah, Georgia where they all live. After a couple hours of their arrival, they were filming in the Faries’ kitchen and running around the U.P. doing interviews with people from Jazmine’s past, and then, of course, filming the performance. They became part of the “Iron Family.” After everyone saw the raw footage, it was clear that there was a powerful story worthy of a 90 minute feature length documentary, and that some more filming was necessary. A couple more return trips were made to Iron River and then the pandemic hit. That shutdown allowed Longstreth the time to edit the film from 40 hours of footage down to 90 minutes. He then sent it off to a number of film festivals, and the acceptances started coming in.
The film’s premier was at the Wisconsin Film Festival where it won the Golden Badger award. It went on to win the best feature award at the Fresh Coast Film Festival in Marquette; best documentary at the Soo Film Festival and a host of others across the country. The big break was getting in to the prestigious Slamdance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. There, Iron Family won the audience award and was able to acquire a sales agent. Part of Jazmine’s dream came true when the film was also accepted into Dances with Films in Hollywood, California where the film was shown at the famous TCL Chinese Theater on the walk of fame where the Oscars are broadcast. The whole “Iron Family” flew to Hollywood. Since, the cast and crew has been featured in dozens of podcasts and articles and caught the eye of some real-life celebrities, like Academy Award Winner Patricia Arquette who tweeted “Mathew McConaughey, you need to see this. This is a beautiful love letter to you.” Jazmine has yet to hear from McConaughey but crew is working to get it on his radar.
Iron Family is awaiting distribution likely through a streaming service, but in the meantime Iron County is being treated to a special engagement on our most special weekend of the year. Jazmine is excited to bring the film back to the Windsor Center where it all started four years ago. Rodeo attendees can stick around for another day of excitement.
The Double Life is the name of the play and attendees will be treated to a special sneak peek of season 7 immediately following the documentary. Much of the cast will be in attendance and available to answer any questions. It will surely be a special night of laughs and tears and another chapter in Jazmine Faries’ Double Life. Look for them in the Rodeo parade on Saturday and plan on attending Sunday, at 3 p.m. at the Windsor Center. The event is free and open to public.