GRANITE FALLS, Minn. – Pioneer PBS will be hosting a screening of “Built with Love” at the Madison Mercantile on Tuesday, February 14 at 7 p.m. The Madison Mercantile is located at 601 First St. in Madison and the event is free and open to the public.
This half-hour documentary follows Pioneer PBS Senior Producer Dana Conroy as she travels north along the coast of Norway to meet a few of the craftspeople keeping Norwegian wooden boat building traditions alive. Along the way, Conroy discovers what her own great-great-grandfather gave up when he emigrated to America for the woman he loved.
“Built with Love” is edited by Mike Scholtz, a Duluth area filmmaker and long-time collaborator with Conroy and Postcards videographers Kristofor Gieske and Ben Dempcy. In June of 2022, the Postcards team journeyed along Norway's northwest coast, visiting communities such as Flakkfjorden, Stadsbygn, Joa Island, Nesna and the Lofoten islands. They encountered a cast of characters engaged in the craft of traditional Norwegian boat building and sailmaking. Master craftsmen like Einar Borgfjorn, Frode Bjøru and Ulf Mikalsen shared their love for boats along with emerging apprentices like Vebjorn Reitan and Stephanie Hiem. Historic sites such as the Coastal Heritage Museum in Stadsbygd and the Lofoten Stockfish Museum also feature prominently in the film.
The Postcards team was guided in their journey by Olav Luksengård Mjelva, an internationally known artist and musician who served as field producer and violinist for the production.
The Postcards team will be in attendance for a Q&A after the film screening.
This special Valentine’s Day event will also include complimentary wine, cheese and chocolate. Additionally, a rose will be given to the first 20 people to arrive. RSVP is requested so adequate seating can be arranged. Please RSVP by visiting www.pioneer.org or by calling Pioneer PBS at 1-800-726-3178.
About Postcards
Producer Dana Conroy and Videographers/Editors Kristofor Gieske and Ben Dempcy make up the award-winning Postcards team. The program is made possible by contributions from the voters of Minnesota through a legislative appropriation from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund. Production sponsors for the program include Shalom Hill Farm, Explore Alexandria Tourism, the Lake Region Arts Council, KRAM 96.7 and members of Pioneer PBS.
About Pioneer PBS
Pioneer PBS is an award-winning, viewer-supported television station, dedicated to sharing local stories of the region with the world. For more information visit: www.pioneer.org.
