A global film festival finds a home in Morganton

Early this year, prize-winning film director Anna Kuprina began sharing a dream with classmates at the Burke Literacy Council (BLC), where she faithfully attended English as a Second Language courses. She wanted to launch a youth film festival in Morganton — inviting young people to create short videos on their phones about the past, the present, and the future.

Her mission, as stated on her website, is “to help young people reflect on the past, speak about the present, and express themselves about the future through cinema.” What troubled her most were the threats facing young people today. She wanted their voices to speak into those concerns, and to search for hope.

At first, no one at BLC knew how she could possibly accomplish this dream so soon. The Russian native had lived in Morganton less than two years. She excelled in written English and spoke warmly with classmates and neighbors, but she still felt uncertain about understanding others — and being understood.

Her husband, Nick, supported her fully, though he was busy with his heavy-equipment sales business and the construction of their future home near Lake James. For now, the family — with two young sons, ages 5 and 2 — lives in temporary housing. With gestures and a quick smile, Kuprina often described the cheerful chaos of their daily life.

When asked why they left Russia, where she had worked as an attorney, she offered just one word: “War.”

They chose Morganton for its natural beauty.

“After watching videos about it online, I fell in love with the forests, the mountains, and the lakes of Morganton,” she said.

Kuprina’s focus for the festival reflected her long-standing interest in environmental issues. Winning entries would be featured on her website, Planet Frame, which she founded.

FILMMAKER WITH A MISSION

Her background speaks to her determination. Years ago, she organized an expedition up Mt. Elbrus, Russia’s highest peak, taking along actors and troubled youth. “I was exhausted!” she recalled. The resulting documentary went on to win international prizes.

“So many orphanages in Russia,” she said quietly. “So many troubled youth.”

That experience, she explained, shaped her belief that young people need creative outlets — and guidance — to find their own voice.

BUILDING A FESTIVAL FROM SCRATCH

In Morganton, Kuprina began distributing flyers everywhere. She spoke with teachers, administrators, church leaders, and community members. She lined up a judging panel that included both local and international evaluators.

One judge, based in Bulgaria, brought professional distance. Locally, she drew support from several leaders:

• Jane Cantwell, instructor of American Studies and Humanities at the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics and a longtime Morganton resident who also grew up in Russia, agreed to serve as chief judge. “She supported me throughout,” Kuprina said.
• Lily Laramie, director of the Small Business Center at Western Piedmont Community College, an avid hiker who “lives sustainably on her farm,” judged the entries as well. “I loved watching the films,” Laramie said.
• Marshall Taylor, chair of the Community Science Committee at the Lake James Environmental Association, stepped outside his comfort zone to evaluate the projects and has already begun writing letters praising the experience.

The international competition drew 147 entries — from abroad, from across the United States, and one entry from Morganton. Still, Kuprina did not give up. She combined “fragments” of select winners into a single cinematic narrative: a technological horror story warning of global threats.

AN EVENING ON BURKEMONT MOUNTAIN

To celebrate the winners, she located a caterer and selected the Hidden Valley Venue high on Burkemont Mountain for the Nov. 13 screening and awards program.

As the sun set, guests drove slowly up the hairpin curves. Inside, the event space was bathed in warm light, tables set, and food arranged as friends and families gathered in small clusters.

When the program began, Kuprina introduced the festival and recognized the local winners, presenting them with a framed award and prize bags — including a gift certificate from Carolina Outdoor Recreation and Education.

A GLOBAL TAPESTRY OF YOUTH VOICES

When the lights went down, the room fell silent as the screen filled with images from around the world — dangers, beauty, and the fragile future seen through young eyes.

From the Philippines, a rapid-fire experimental piece showed a girl trying on and discarding clothing, the growing piles appearing in bushes and landscapes as statistics on the fast-fashion industry flashed across the screen.

From Iran, a moving black-and-white story followed a young girl living among trash who envies the wealth of her neighbors. She weaves a bracelet from discarded scraps; when she puts it on, the film shifts into color — not because her world has changed, but because her perspective has.

The Spirit of Morganton Award was given to Leah and Elias Hummel, a sister-brother team who created a film from their visit to Lake Junaluska, where they searched for hope in the painful history of the Trail of Tears and found it through the words and hymn of the first Native American Methodist bishop.

LOOKING TOWARD 2026

Audience members lingered long after the final applause, talking over the food tables and pausing to admire the lights of Morganton glowing far below on the valley floor.

“It makes me feel like I’m in San Francisco,” said attendee Esther Brassell.

Several judges said they would gladly return. “Absolutely!” Laramie replied when asked about participating again in 2026.

Kuprina is already planning the next event — an open-air film festival under the stars in downtown Morganton.

Her goal remains unchanged: helping young people, from here and around the world, find their voice, express their fears, and search for hope.

For more information, you can visit the website at www.planetframe.net or email info@planetframe.net.