The Simple Gift of Walnut Grove

The Simple Gift of Walnut Grove Description:

"The Simple Gift of Walnut Grove" is a documentary about the life of an early 20th century Danish immigrant named Hans Hansen (1876-1953), as told by his son, 96-year-old Walter Hansen. Hans emigrated from Denmark to the United States in 1899 and built a farm out of the native timber he found alongside a marginal piece of land on the Cedar River near West Branch, Iowa. Within Walter’s soft-spoken account emerges the dynamic of a father-son relationship forged under the harsh conditions of the early Midwestern settlement. The film’s powerful soundtrack includes works performed by Victor Borge and the Danish String Quartet. 18 minutes.

This film, by John Richard and produced by the Museum of Danish America, is the featured work played in the Museum of Danish America's Multimedia Room. View the trailer.

Film festival awards include:

• Best Documentary Chicago International REEL Shorts Film Festival
  
• Best Short Documentary Nordic International Film Festival
  
• Best Professional Documentary Cedar Rapids Independent Film Festival
  
• Grand Prize, Iowa Film Siouxland Film Festival
  
• Best Iowa Made Film Snake Alley Festival of Film
  
• Best of Fest - Short Oneota Film Festival
• Honorable Mention Interrobang Film Festival