Emmitsburg film maker, Conrad Weaver of ConjoStudios, LLC, is excited to announce that his 2014 documentary The Great American Wheat Harvest film has received a Mid-America Regional EMMY® Award! On Saturday, October 3, 2015, the Mid-America Chapter of National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences held the EMMY® Gala in St. Louis, Missouri, and The Great American Wheat Harvest was selected as the winner for Best Documentary–Cultural.
The Great American Wheat Harvest is the story about the American harvesters who risk everything to put food on our tables. Each year, they travel from Texas, north across the Western Plains, harvesting wheat and other crops that feed the world. The film follows their journey and tells their stories.
The film aired on WQPT (Quad Citiies PBS) this past February, and consequently qualified to be submitted for the EMMY® nomination. As one of nineteen regional chapters of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, the Mid-America Chapter is the standard-bearer for excellence in the television broadcasting industry and the gatekeepers of the prestigious regional EMMY® Awards.
It’s the first EMMY® nomination and win for Weaver. “It’s an incredible honor to be recognized in this manner; it truly was unexpected! First, I want to thank my family: my wife, Jodi, and children, Laken and Spencer, who supported me throughout the four years of production that went into making this film. Without their support and love, I couldn’t have worked on a project like this. I also want to thank all of our sponsors who helped make this film possible, and for the staff at WQPT for airing the film on their Quad Cities PBS station. And last, but certainly not least, I want to thank the harvesters who took a risk and allowed me to document their lives and work. I’m truly blessed to call them my friends!”
Weaver is currently working on a new documentary film called, Thirsty Land. It’s the story about the drought in the American West, and its impact on agriculture, communities, and the environment. Thirsty Land is expected to be released in late 2016. Be sure to check out the photos and videos on the Thirsty Land Facebook page or visit www.thirstylandmovie.com.
Conrad Weaver is pictured with his wife, Jodi.
