Free Screening of Jay Craven’s Lost Nation at Manchester Community Library

Thursday, June 5, 2025 | 5:30 PM
Presented by the Manchester Historical Society and Manchester Community Library
In Celebration of the 250th Anniversary of the Vermont Republic

Join us for a special free screening of Lost Nation, the latest feature film from award-winning Vermont filmmaker Jay Craven, on Thursday, June 5, 2025 at 5:30 PM at the Manchester Community Library. This event is presented in honor of the 250th anniversary of the Vermont Republic and co-hosted by the Manchester Historical Society and the Manchester Community Library.

Set during the chaotic era of the American Revolution, Lost Nation tells the intersecting and true stories of two bold figures from early Vermont history: Ethan Allen, a founding father of the Vermont Republic, and Lucy Terry Prince, the first known African American poet and a fierce advocate for land and liberty.

Kevin Ryan (TV’s Copper, Harry Wild) portrays the defiant and complex Ethan Allen, whose resistance to New York land claims and clashes with British forces helped shape early Vermont. Kenyan actress Eva Ndachi (Beautifully Broken) stars as Lucy Terry Prince, a once-enslaved poet who used the power of words and the law to fight for her family’s rights in 18th-century Guilford, Vermont.

Filmed across more than 30 locations in Vermont and Massachusetts, Lost Nation combines sweeping battle scenes, meticulous historical detail, and 43 speaking roles, bringing to life a compelling and under-told chapter of American history. The film explores land disputes, political upheaval, and the moral conflicts at the heart of America’s founding—shedding light on the contributions of women and people of color who are too often left out of the Revolutionary narrative.

Jay Craven, whose work has been featured at Sundance, Lincoln Center, and in more than 50 countries, will be present for a post-film discussion, offering insights into the making of the film and the stories that inspired it.

The film also features performances by Rob Campbell, Barry Del Sherman, Karma Bridges (daughter of Ludacris), Rusty DeWees, and Ariel Zevon. The score was composed by Mazz Swift, an acclaimed violinist known for work with Yo-Yo Ma’s Silk Road Ensemble and the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

This screening is part of Lost Nation’s 50-town Vermont tour and is supported in part by the Bennington Regional 250th Anniversary Committee, a volunteer group coordinating commemorative efforts across Bennington County, southwestern Vermont, and nearby New York. The Committee contributes to the statewide Vermont 250th initiative through partnerships with local, state, and national organizations, and includes two members appointed to Governor Phil Scott’s Vermont 250th Anniversary Commission.

Don’t miss this chance to experience Vermont’s revolutionary past on the big screen—and to engage in conversation with the filmmaker who brings these powerful stories to life.

For more information on Lost Nation and the full statewide tour, visit www.kcppresents.org.