Life in Iowa can be punishing. Many Iowans expend their lives sweating over soil and spilling the blood of livestock; they endure the hardships associated with a life inextricably bound to the ups and downs of nature. Today, those challenges and a shift in our nation's economy have pushed the youth of rural communities to migrate to the metropolises of America. Those left in the wake of this out-migration continue their lives, seemingly unchanged from the generations that preceded them, and entombed in obscurity.
The tension of contemporary rural life plays out here: the struggle of a family farm to continue, disenfranchised youth, the slaughterhouse, migrant labor, and the aged fading from Iowa's mythical landscape. Through their stories we gain insight to a way of life that is disappearing, a culture that could be lost forever.
As "community" continues to be homogenized in zones of urban sprawl across the globe, we must consider all that we are losing—development should not come at the expense of more fragile communities.
Driftless: Stories from Iowa
By Danny Wilcox Frazier
Foreword by Robert Frank:
"Driftless is Frazier's document about rural Iowa.
His home.... Years of working, walking, photographing,
carefully making notes, names, places.
Inhabitants: Farmers, Migrant Workers, their families, Hunters,
Churches, Trailers, Storms, Open Fields, Sunday Night....
Passionate photographs without sentimentality....
His work reaches out: let me tell your story, it is important.
Frazier's work will survive—his book will be the foundation for more to come...."
As the economies of rural communities across America fail, abandonment is becoming commonplace. Driftless explores a Midwest that resides in shadows, a people quietly enduring America's new economic reality.
Note: Not all comments will be posted due to space and time constraints.
Ricardo Cezar -- North Shore City, North Island, New Zealand
Oct 22, 2009 at 6:58 PM
The same way Danny described his ephiphany on seeing "The Americans", was the way I felt by watching his works and description flow through my screen as a new world opening up and saying "Hey, this is it, life!".
Alex Ondari -- Indianapolis, Indiana USA
Sep 18, 2009 at 5:32 PM
I was an army brat who never had a sense of place, but my parents eventually settled in Kansas. I moved to be near them in 2000 and accidently stayed eight years. Now I live in Boston, which is great as cities go, but it's hard to explain to people here what I miss about the midwest. You've captured it, but without romanticizing or white-washing it. For young people, there's no future in the midwest, but for humanity, there's not much future without it. Thanks for the beautiful portrait.
Marc Schnau -- Drverdden, Lower Saxony, Germany
Sep 9, 2009 at 2:49 PM
Thank you for sharing this wonderful, very amazing documentation. In my opinion, there are not so much differences between the life and problems living in the countryside of Iowa or of many rural regions in Germany. And i hope that many many people will understand the messages, brought within these docu. Even more hoping for the wonder, that this will force some of the people to think about their way of life and maybe find back to a more "solid" and natural way. (Please excuse my bad language knowledge)
Anshul Uniyal -- New Delhi, Delhi, India
Aug 28, 2009 at 5:26 AM
Brilliant is the word i can come up with for this piece of work. People across the globe will be able to relate with them.
Cynthia Nelms-Byrne -- Dubuque, IA, USA
Aug 3, 2009 at 11:09 PM
The films are beautiful, but gave me such a negative view of Iowa. I moved to Dubuque from the San Francisco Bay area, and I just love Dubuque. I was born in Denver, so I'm a big city girl. To me, Dubuque is just the right size, and though it has its faults, the sense of community, the nice people, the art scene, the culture, and the scenery, are worth all the negatives. The bluffs along the Mississippi River are some of the most beautiful scenery I've ever seen.
Jonathan Ziegler -- State College, Pa. U.S.A
Jul 29, 2009 at 11:21 PM
Simply amazing. Growing up in rural Pennsylvania, these stories and images are familiar to me. I know them. Thank you for producing a work of depth and meaning, and handling the subject with care. Too many times stories are told that romanticize or exploit rural America. This feels right.
Kristofor Lawson -- Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Jun 5, 2009 at 4:33 AM
Awesome production! Some great stories, great imagery, brilliant job.... maybe another Emmy or Webby award winner I suspect
Peter Keenan -- Pacific Palisades, CA US of A
Jun 5, 2009 at 3:01 AM
Kudo's,... kudo's. Scared me a bit since I'm from the Midwest. I've got two kids and I think to myself that if they drift, they may not end up in a good place. I'm gonna try and pass this on to all the folks I know who care and remind him that there's trouble out there and if we don't pay attention to the boredom and lack of soul. Where are the overseer's? Why isn't someone looking out for the other guy? Have the kid's wised up or wised down? Make me think that's for sure. Moving work. I will pass it on I promise.
Chris Ryan -- Sydney, NSW, Australia
Jun 4, 2009 at 2:39 AM
Thanks for making this. A beautiful and poignant piece of work.
Matt R. -- Burlington, Iowa, USA
May 31, 2009 at 9:58 PM
Very well done. I think this piece, and the original photography that inspired it, speaks volumes to anyone who is from Iowa and grew up in a small farming community.
Don Rood, The Felt Hat -- Portland, Oregon
May 29, 2009 at 8:51 PM
These are profound portraits. I had to drop all I was doing and watch every film.Thank you for creating something beautiful.
Anjali Pinto -- Peoria, IL, USA
May 20, 2009 at 3:10 PM
Bravo to all involved on making a beautiful book an enthralling video piece.
Matthew -- San Jose, California, USA
May 19, 2009 at 1:14 PM
Great job on Driftless: Stories from Iowa. I just couldn't take my eyes off the screen. Great job is really an understatement. This documentary is put together well, and the photography, video, and interviews are timeless to me. I enjoyed listening to the stories being told.
Photography: Danny Wilcox Frazier
Director: Danny Wilcox Frazier
Producer: Eric Maierson
Executive Producer: Brian Storm
Cinematography: Taylor Gentry
Original Music: Ben Schmidt
Audio: Chris Vanderwall
Additional Audio: John Richard
Graphics: Tim Klimowicz
Transcription: Jessica Stuart
Production Assistance: Tim Hussin
Additional camera: Danny Wilcox Frazier and Aaron Preusch
Interns: Lindsey Walters and Robin Svec
Driftless: Photographs from Iowa published by Duke University Press and the Center for Documentary Studies at Duke. Winner of The Center for Documentary Studies/Honickman First Book Prize in Photography.
The University of Iowa
Robert Frank, Alexa Dilworth, Iris Tillman Hill and Tom Rankin at The Center for Documentary Studies, as well as the staff of Duke University Press. Lynne and Harold Honickman and The Honickman Foundation. Yolanda Cuomo and James Magargee.
Marcel Saba and the staff of Redux Pictures. Photo assistant, Patrick Reed. MaryAnne Golon. My editors at TIME, Mother Jones and CR magazines.
My good friends and collaborators, Taylor Gentry and Brian Storm.
And always, Lydia, Forrest and Tatum Cree.
I would like to express my gratitude to all those who allowed me a space in their lives during my work on this documentary and book. (A thank you to Iowa, a humble place that has taught me much...)
