We are proud to present the first Windy Wednesday film in our “WinterFest” series: Abbie Down East by Ellen-Alinda Verhoeff. The film is 26 minutes and family friendly. We hope you will enjoy it!

A Lighthouse Keeper’s Daughter Battles a Powerful Storm

“stirring testament to the power of the human spirit to overcome even the most trying adversity.”
- Monika Moreno, Director Angelus Student Film Festival

A Brief Synopsis:

Abbie Down East is based on a true story from Maine’s great storm of 1856, when, in her father’s absence a lighthouse keeper’s daughter battled valiantly to keep the light going and her ailing mother and younger sisters safe.

My Personal Connection to this Film:

Abbie Down East is near and dear to my heart — especially because it won the very first Priddy Brothers Triumph Award at Angelus. An incredible work of cinematic art and brilliant storytelling, the film’s message may be even more compelling today than when it debuted in 2002. In the face of our own recent “storms” — hurricanes, tsunamis, and an economic “tidal wave” — Verhoef’s narrative reminds us that we need “lighthouses,” so our own ships won’t come crashing in on the rocks. Young Abbie reminds us that someone has to “keep the light burnin’.” Often that “someone” is an unlikely, ordinary person who valiantly rises to meet the adversity of the moment.

Credits:

Abbie Down East has garnered 20+ festival honors worldwide including a Jury Award at the Hollywood International Student Film Festival, and the Jimmy Stewart Crystal Heart Award at the Heartland Film Festival. It has screened at more than 50 festivals, including Berlin, New York, Tehran and Toronto; and qualified for the Oscar for Best Live Action Short.

The Filmmaker:

Ellen-Alinda Verhoeff is a graduate of the Dutch Film Academy in Amsterdam and Columbia University’s master’s program in film.

An Invitation to You:

In his poem, “The Lighthouse,” Henry Wadsworth Longfellow called the edifice “A pillar of fire by night, of cloud by day.” Surely Abbie’s valiant effort in the face of extreme adversity helps us remember that we too, can rise up in faith and spiritual strength when the time comes for standing up and shining without wavering. We hope you will join us online for an incredible 26 minutes of film viewing, and then participate in our discussion as we relate Abbie’s story to our own.

Happy Windy Wednesday, Dec. 9! 

We hope you enjoy the film!