North Carolina Filmmaker Captures World Cultures in Folkmoot
Premieres on UNC-TV, Thursday, November 27 at 10 PM

Folkmoot is an old English word meaning “meeting of the people,” and this month UNC-TV and North Carolina filmmaker Paul Bonesteel introduce you to more than 350 folk musicians and dancers from around the world who flocked to Western North Carolina for the colorful pageantry of the celebrated international folk festival.  Tune in to UNC-TV, Thursday, November 27 at 10 PM, for Folkmoot.  This behind-the-scenes glimpse of the festival’s cultures, concerts and camaraderie—complete with Tahitian drums, French stilt dancers, Russian acrobats and Mexican boot-stomping dances—offers non-stop global thrills.

From the chaos of Waynesville’s opening street parade to the candlelight finale,Bonesteel captures the whirlwind of cultures, languages, exotic dances, international friendships, performances and midnight parties that swept through the mountains of North Carolina.  Bonesteel filmed for two weeks in July and culled through 50 hours of footage to create the exciting, entertaining and educational documentary that gives a colorful picture of Folkmoot’s 20^th anniversary.

More than 190 folk groups have shared the cultural heritage of 95 countries with North Carolina’s citizens and visitors during the past 19 years.  Groups from six continents—Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North America and South America—attended the event, eager to share their culture and history.  Performers came from such exotic locations and far-off lands as Tahiti, The Buryat Republic, Norway, Chile, Sardinia, Romania, Nepal and Hawaii.

Named a Top 20 Event in the Southeast by the Southeastern Tourism Society, and a Top 100 Event by the American Bus Association, Folkmoot has also been recognized locally and internationally for its accomplishments in the sharing of cultures and friendship.

Bonesteel Films of Asheville was selected to produce the regionally funded documentary.  Sen. Joe Sam Queen, D-Waynesville, spent months stumping in Raleigh to drum up funding for the documentary that will highlight the 20th anniversary of Folkmoot and the festivities from its Waynesville home.  This is the second Bonesteel film UNC-TV has presented this year; in May UNC-TV broadcast The Mystery of George Masa.  In addition to the Thanksgiving Day broadcast, viewers can catch UNC-TV’s encore presentation of Folkmoot, Sunday, November 30 at 7 PM.

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