The NH Film Festival Premieres “The Lost North End”
Documentary details the destruction of a North End neighborhood in Portsmouth, NH through Urban Renewal
The Lost North End; A Tale of Wreckage and Resilience is a 55-minute New Hampshire documentary featured in two screenings (on October 17 and 18) in the four-day New Hampshire Film Festival, nhfilmfestival.com, that runs from Oct 17 to 20.
Focused on local history compiled and produced by local members of the community, the film chronicles the close-knit, working-class, primarily Italian neighborhood in Portsmouth, NH, targeted by Urban Renewal in the late 1960s. It also traces the resilience and character of its former residents, who, despite their displacement, managed to salvage their community traditions, culture and friendships. The 30-acre North End enclave was demolished through the Vaughan Street Urban Renewal Project, the last Urban Renewal program in America, igniting the rise of historic preservation, rather than demolition, of historic structures and neighborhoods.
The foundation of the film features interviews with residents who lived in the demolition zone. They detail the close bonds of neighbors, the importance of family and work, and the devastating effects following the destruction of hundreds of homes and businesses. Many of the structures in the neighborhood were architecturally important, though only a small fraction was saved when they were moved out of the district, sold to new owners, and over time, restored.
Viewers will also learn about the intent and unintended effects of the federal, post-World War II Urban Renewal program that lasted 25 years. In his directorial debut, New Hampshire resident Scott Maclin worked with producers Laura Pope, Massimo Morgia, and Robyn Aldo as well as Julie Gagne who conducts the interviews in the film, narrates the introduction, and with Pope, shares screenwriting credits.
The Lost North End premieres on Thursday, October 17th at 3:20 at the 900-seat Music Hall and again on Friday, October 18th, at 4:05 p.m. at the 450-seat St. John's Episcopal Church. The entire slate of Festival films can be found at NHFilmFestival.com. There are three ways to get advance individual film tickets starting at 9:30 am on Thursday, Oct. 17: the day the Festival begins: online at https://nhfilmfestival.com; at Festival Headquarters at The Gallery at Jimmy’s, 135 Congress Street in Portsmouth and at the McKeon's Ticketing Hub, located right around the corner from the Music Hall. Online ticket sales are encouraged. Tickets may be purchased with cash or credit card. All individual tickets are subject to availability, with passholders given priority entrance.
Day, Festival and VIP passes are already available through the Festival website and offer many benefits; a Thursday Day Pass admits ticket holders access to all the New Hampshire- connected films featured on Thursday.
The Lost North End is a Portsmouth NH 400th legacy project imagined by Massimo Morgia and the Little Italy Celebrations (LIC) team, one of several teams that produced events and experiences for the public in 2023 to celebrate the City’s anniversary. Last summer, the LIC committee also produced a Venetian-style Masquerade Ball fundraiser, an al fresco Little Italy Carnival and a Feast for former North Enders and special guests.
The goal of Portsmouth NH 400th was to give the community an inclusive opportunity to tell the stories important to them through programs, events, exhibits, and legacy projects. Valerie Rochon, the Managing Director believes The Lost North End will resonate and linger in the minds of viewers and the Portsmouth community. “In September of 2021, we held a public input session to boil down the 400 ideas of potential 2023 anniversary programs and events we had collected in previous sessions. I asked every participant to write down one word that describes Portsmouth. Community was the overwhelming response. The Carnival, the Feast, and the documentary are all about community - sharing, caring, knowing and loving your neighbors. I hope viewers come away fired up to build, strengthen, enjoy, and protect their communities, their “tribes.”
Founded in 2001, the New Hampshire Film Festival began as a small, grassroots event to support local, regional, and student filmmakers, that now showcases the brightest talent on the international film festival scene. This year more than 100 films will be screened over four days.
Each fall, the best in recent independent narrative, documentary, and short-subject cinema from the region, the nation, and the world are presented. Films are screened at more than a dozen locations around the city, including four state-of-the-art screening venues ranging in size from 65 to 900-seat theaters, which are all within walking distance. The festival has proudly showcased over 800 films in competition, presented over 60 workshops and panels, hosted close to 100 parties, and welcomed numerous industry guests and celebrities. It now holds a coveted place as a highly recognized Academy Award-qualifying event that showcases the brightest talent on the international film festival scene.
This year, the nonprofit Music Hall has taken over the reins of the festival. Says Music Hall Executive Director Tina Sawtelle, “We are carrying forward the tradition that has made this event such an important and beloved part of Portsmouth’s cultural identity. This festival is a true celebration of cinema, drawing thousands of attendees to Portsmouth each year, with carefully curated films, dynamic panel discussions, and vibrant events that both entertain and inspire.”
For information on the Music Hall, visit www.TheMusicHall.org
Contacts for interviews and information:
Valerie Rochon, Managing Director, PNH400: valerie@portsmouthnh400.org
Scott Maclin, Director, The Lost North End: radmedianh@gmail.com
Massimo Morgia, Producer: massimo101@comcast.net
Julie Gagne, Host/Narrator, Screenwriter, North Ender: juliegagne@yahoo.com
Robyn Aldo, Producer: robynaldo@aol.com
Trevor Bartlett, PNH400 Communications Director: tbartlett@portsmouthnh400.org
Laura Pope, Producer, Screenwriter, Historian: unionfarm144@comcast.net
