Canal Celebration Special Feature

LOST SPARROW

Documentary film by Mr. Chris Billing

August 6, 2009 7 PM
Valley Cinema, Little Falls

$5 suggested donation

The 2009 Canal Celebration welcomes the inaugural event of the newly constituted Community Arts and Lecture Series (CALS), a program which seeks to highlight the many and varied accomplishments of current and former area residents. This event will be the showing of “Lost Sparrow” a film produced by former Little Falls Resident Chris Billing, at the Valley Cinema on Thursday, Aug. 6th.
CALS has invited Mr. Chris Billing, a documentary filmmaker and former Beijing Bureau Chief for NBC News, to show his film, Lost Sparrow. Mr. Billing’s film documents the events surrounding the deaths of his two adoptive brothers who were killed on the railroad tracks near Little Falls.
The story takes place in the late ‘70’s when the two Crow Indian children ran away from their adoptive family, the Billings’, who lived at the old Burrell Overlook Mansion. A sprawling 19th Century style castle, which had more than enough room to accommodate the ten Billings children; four biological and six adopted. Many long-time residents will remember the shocking news on that June 27th morning in 1978 that Bobby and Tyler had been struck and killed by a freight train near Little Falls, prompting many to ask why these two children ran away from an environment so seemingly compassionate and safe.
The film, as Mr. Billing writes, is his “journey to bring Bobby and Tyler home and confront the painful truth that shattered his family.”
Following the film, Richard Buckley, Author and Little Falls native, will host a discussion where audience members are invited to ask questions of Mr. Billing.
The event will be held at 7 p.m., Thursday, August 6 at the Valley Cinema in Little Falls, with a $5 suggested donation. The donation covers the costs of this year’s event and future CALS events. Due to the expected popularity of the film, advance sale tickets can be purchased for $5 at Valley Cinema, the Little Falls Family YMCA or through Tracy Coulson.
Due to the sensitive nature of the film content, it is not recommended for those under 13. The official film site, which contains family photographs and a film trailer, is www.lostsparrowmovie.com .
For more information, or to suggest candidates for future CALS events, contact Tracy Coulson at 315-508-4355.