The Hills I Call Home (2021)

Directed by Ashton Gleckman

Distributed by Gravitas Ventures

Ashton Gleckman, director and founder of Blackbird Pictures, started planning for The Hills I Call Home while wrapping up post-production for his last documentary, We Shall Not Die Now. With a deep interest in the history of Appalachia, coal country, and the community of individuals who occupy the region, Ashton set off into the mountains of Eastern Kentucky to explore for himself. After driving through various towns, Ashton came across a sign that read “Beattyville.” Shortly thereafter, Ashton stumbled into the town hall where the mayor, Scott Jackson, was sitting in the front lobby. After a four-hour conversation with Jackson, Ashton knew exactly what his next film was going to be. And it was going to be in Appalachia.

In the months to follow, Ashton worked between Indianapolis and Beattyville, preparing for production. During this time, Ashton met with Beattyville residents, got familiar with the streets and hollers of Beattyville, and enjoyed the stunning landscape of Appalachia. Ashton interviewed individuals from Beattyville, as well as individuals located at various universities. For example, Western Kentucky University, Waynesville and Asheville North Carolina, the University of Virginia at Wise, University of Kentucky, and Indiana University. Ashton also spent a week exploring the backroads of Kentucky filming B-Roll..

Production in Beattyville began on June 1st and went on until June 20th. The crew for The Hills I Call Home included Ashton, who was behind the camera and conducting the interviews, Trey Brown, who was the line producer, and Pete Mosby, who was Ashton’s personal assistant and helped with transportation. For the musical score, Ashton collaborated once again with Austrian composer, Michael Frankenberger. The film was released by Gravitas Ventures in March 2021.