In early July, Barnard resident Josh Melrod won the "Best Director" title at the Ischia Film Festival in Italy.
Melrod wrote and directed .
The film stars an actual carpenter, who also plays a carpenter in the film: Barnard resident and first-time actor, Ujon Tokarski.
"I met him when I was writing the script," said Melrod, "he was actually doing some carpentry on my house."
Melrod said part of the film's narrative includes Tokarski's character building a cabin. During filming, Melrod said, Tokarski built an actual cabin on the property of in Barnard. Today, the cabin houses seasonal farmworkers.
Melrod wasn't able to receive the award in person, but he said Tokarski and co-star Collen Doyle of Bridgewater, Vt., were able to accept the award on his behalf.
Even from afar, Melrod said, "It just felt so good to receive that kind of recognition. I know some of the films that have won there in the past are really great and have done well."
Major Arcana will play at the Middlebury New Filmmakers Festival August 22.
