Fiddlin'

A joyful, multi-textured time-machine journey, full of engaging old-timers and astonishing young virtuosos who live in (and thus keep alive) the fast finger, flatfooting community of old-time and bluegrass musicians. Beautifully shot and cleverly edited it's a joyful postcard of Americana created by a warmhearted team of women filmmakers. What a hug!

Fiddlin' (2018) was co-written and directed by Julie Simone. The movie is a documentary about the Old Fiddler's Convention in Galax, Virginia.

Old Time music is different from Bluegrass music. Fiddles, banjos, and guitars are the traditional instruments. Drums and steel guitars aren't played. (The mandolin appears in both Old Time and Bluegrass.) The movie's title is misleading, because other Old Time instruments are featured as much as the fiddle. (The name of the convention is misleading in that sense as well.)

The film presents what the viewer would hear and see if he walked through the crowd at the convention. Added to this are many interviews with musicians--young and old, female and male.

I enjoyed this movie, but I thought it was a little longer than it needed to be. Director Simone had all these great interviews with dedicated musicians, and she just couldn't bear to leave some of them out.

The music in the film is wonderful. The musicians are talented, and it's great to see a generation of teenagers who are carrying on the Old Time music tradition.

If you're interested in Old Time music, this is a must-see film. If not, it's still worth seeking out to learn about a world that most of us don't inhabit.

We saw this movie at Rochester's wonderful Little Theatre, as part of the High Falls Women's Film Festival. (There are many younger women musicians, but I assume the film was chosen because the director was a woman.) The movie will work well on the small screen.

Just attended a screening, in Los Angeles, of this beautifully made documentary and literally found myself smiling through the whole film.

It's a beautiful peek into the world of "Old Time music". The people, the music, the dancing ("Flat Footing"), the stories, the history, and the beautiful landscapes in the hills of Virginia will leave a lasting smile in your heart.

I loved this look into Appalachian/ Fiddlin' life. This is an inspirational story and reminder of the beauty of a simple life...enjoying what you do, those you live amongst and learn from and the beauty of passing down knowledge. It was very refreshing to see people not driven by money or fame and just being happy with their passion. And equally satisfying to see the respect and humbleness that existed between the youth and their elders for one another. Not to mention some stellar fiddling performances.

You don't have to be a bluegrass fan to fall in love with this wonderful story - but you'll be a fan by the end!!

For a newcomer to the fiddling world, I was captivated by the talented performers and the personal stories told in this film. The movie is so much more than a music festival documentary: it's a heartfelt account of the people in the community and what their music brings to their lives.

As an added bonus to the amazing music, the cinematography shows the beautiful landscape of the Virginia setting.