Letters from Nebraska

I am interested in American pioneering history and since watching the film I have read the Oblinger letters and I recommend that others do the same. The letters tell the story of the Oblinger family and their struggle to establish themselves, in spite of the hardships they faced in their quest for a new life during the 1870's. The letters can be found via the U.S Library of Congress website. I found the film to be moving, vivid and sympathetic to the spirit of the letters. It's good to see a short film tackling an unusual subject and it packs in a lot during it's twelve minutes running time. Nice photography by Boyd Skinner and a true performance by Bronwen Harrison as Mattie Oblinger, the matriarchal glue that holds the family together.

A breath of fresh air... a ray of sunshine - that's the impression this film made on me.

The director, Simon Eales, gives us a charming glimpse into the life of Mattie and her family, one that leaves us longing for the old world values that no longer seem important to people. Despite its short running time, the film involves the audience and makes you care about Mattie's character. Simon Eales succeeded in capturing the heart and soul of this family in a way that draws you in deeper, wanting to drift back in time and experience their life yourself.

I thoroughly recommend this film to everyone and believe that Simon Eales will definitely be a name we will be hearing a great deal more about. I am looking forward to seeing more of his work in the very near future.