‘Agnes’ returns to The Kirby on June 23

                    Producer talks about the initial reaction to the documentary and offers some insight into its production

“Agnes,” a critically-acclaimed documentary film, will return to the F.M. Kirby Center on Friday, June 23, 2023. The special screening will take place on the 51st anniversary of the Agnes Flood of 1972 that devastated much of the Wyoming Valley. Showtime is 7:30 p.m. “Agnes” premiered at The Kirby last June 23 and, due to popular demand, three additional screening were added. The documentary includes rare photographs, local news footage, newspaper clippings, interviews with Agnes survivors and, for the first time ever, archived national network footage. It was not shown on television. Hailed as “emotional,” “powerful” and “inspiring,” the film serves as a testament to the strength and fortitude of the people of the Wyoming Valley, who overcame what at the time was the worst natural disaster in U.S. history. A limited number of DVDs will also be available at the show. This will be the only theatrical screening of "Agnes" this year. Tickets, priced at $10, are available only at The Kirby Box office or by calling (570) 826-1100. All proceeds benefit the Wilkes-Barré Preservation Society.

“Agnes” was directed and edited by Tim Novotney and co-directed by Bob Savakinus. Tony Brooks was the historical consultant.  Alan Stout served as writer, narrator and executive producer. The "Agnes Flood Documentary Project" has more than 20,000 followers on social media and now - one year after the film was screened for the first time - the executive producer is answering some of the questions that have often been asked about the film, reflecting on the initial reaction to it, sharing some of the stylistic decisions that went into its production, and talking about why it will be back at The Kirby on June 23.  

Last year, of course, was the 50th anniversary of Agnes. Why did you decide to bring “Agnes” back again to The Kirby this year?

 “Truthfully, we weren’t sure about it at first. Our goal last year was to show it at The Kirby on June 23, on the 50th anniversary, and offer a limited number of copies on DVD. And then, in the fall, take it out to our local schools. And we did all of that. But the first screening at The Kirby sold out very quickly, and so we added another, and then another, and then another. It total, there were about 4,000 people that came out to see the film at The Kirby, and then, later in the fall, we also did two screenings at the Moonlite Drive-In. All of that was done during the 50^th anniversary year of Agnes. And we were thrilled with that. But it was Bob Savakinus, who co-directed the film, who suggested we bring it back again this year. After everything we did last year - and the fact it was the 50^th anniversary last year - we knew full well there would not be as much pomp in 2023. But we decided that it doesn’t matter. There are still some people that would still like to see it, that couldn’t get there last year, and people that would like to see it again on the big screen. There are also people that came out last year, but regretted not bringing their children or grandchildren. And so this will allow them that opportunity. As a film team, all we want is for people to see the film, and so even if it’s only a few hundred people this time, why not show it again? Plus, the film continues to be a fundraiser for the Wilkes-Barre Preservation Society.”

What was your reaction to the reaction of the film?

 “We were pretty floored. And we were  very appreciative. Our goal was to make a  definitive documentary on Agnes, to honor  the people that fought through it, and to  teach the younger generation more about it. I remember, after the premiere at The Kirby, someone said that we had ‘validated all of   these people,’ meaning that - for those that   really battled back from the incredible   challenges of Agnes - we had recognized   what they went through and gave them the respect they deserve. And that’s exactly what we had hoped to do. And when we later took it out to the schools, the reaction from the students was incredible."

 At what schools did you show the film?

 “We tried to get to all of the school districts that are in the floodplain, and we were at Wilkes-Barre Area High School, Wyoming Valley West High School, Hanover Area High School, Holy Redeemer High School, Good Shepherd Academy, St. Nicholas-St. Mary’s School and Wyoming Area Catholic. We were also at Wilkes University, King’s College and Luzerne County Community College. At some of those assemblies, there were thousands of kids there.”

 How did students react to the film, as compared to those at The Kirby?

 “It was amazing, because it was the same. Once the closing credits started to roll, the entire auditorium would burst into applause. Did they like the film? Sure. Is that why they were applauding? Sure. But it was more than that. They were cheering for their own parents and grandparents. They were proud of them. They were proud of their hometown and their community. Maybe they’d heard about this big flood all of their lives, and now they’d actually seen it. They saw just how bad it really was. And they saw how their community – and in many cases, their own families - responded. And they truly appreciated it. For me, I teared up a few times in those auditoriums, because it was another case where the film accomplished what we hoped it would. It connected with people. And this time, it was with the kids. It was a beautiful thing to see."

 Explain what it was like to be a part of the “Agnes” team.

 “I loved our film team. It was a lot of hard work and long hours, and we had some challenges along the way, ranging from everything from funding to acquiring some of licensed material. But I told them all afterwards that I, personally, would not have wanted to have done it with anyone else. We all had a role and we all did our jobs, and we all collaborated when needed. Naturally, we’d squabbled, but nothing personal. On one or two occasions - once early in the production and once towards the end - we disagreed on some of the content. Nothing major. Just little things. But creative people can be pretty headstrong, and compromise can be tough. But we did it. We really listened to each other and we respected each other, and in the end, we all had a film that we were proud to be a part of. I remember on the day of the premiere, Tim and I grabbed a bite to eat at Rodanos, which is right next to The Kirby, and we knew it was all worth it. We had a sold-out show, we were all happy with the film, and he and I were even laughing about some of our disagreements during production. “I’d say, “Well, you were right about that,” and he’d say, “Yeah … but you were right about that.” It was nice. Together – Tim, Bob, Tony - we made good team. They're great guys and I can’t say enough about the skills and talents of our directors.”  

 Do you have a favorite part of the film?

 “It’s probably the segment on the sandbaggers. A lot of people, myself included, may have known about the sandbaggers, but they might not have known all of the details. Once we started to research it, and we took a closer look at it, you realize just how gallant of an effort it really was. There were 10,000 people there that morning trying to save their city. And they headed right towards the river at the exact same time that 80,000 other people were evacuating. It was incredibly brave, and there were dangers there that they probably weren’t even aware of. There’s really a certain poignancy to that part of the film.”

 Can you share anything about the film that you have not discussed before?

 “Yes. I’ll share something that we did, stylistically, that we feel is probably at least a part of the reason why people connected with film so much, perhaps more so than anything else that’s been done on Agnes. If you notice, most of the people that are interviewed in the film don’t get into too much personal detail about their specific stories of Agnes. And there is a reason for that. We didn’t want to cherry-pick 10 or so people and have them saying, ‘When I was evacuated in the morning, I did this …' or 'When I went back to my house after the water subsided, I saw this …' or 'When I was sandbagging, I did this … ' We didn’t have any of that, and that was by design. In the film, when Greg Fellerman talks about Agnes through the eyes of children, he’s speaking for all of the kids at that time. When Bill Corcoran Jr. talks about how millennials look at Agnes, he’s speaking for all millennials. Joe Butkiewicz, Tony Brooks and Robert Wolensky talk about how the destruction of Agnes affected everyone, not just them. When people saw the film, we wanted them to all to feel as though they were fully represented. The people that we interviewed are speaking ‘for’ you, not ‘to’ you. That’s a big difference. And we think that’s why people might feel so connected to the film. They can watch it and say, “That was me. That was us.” And that’s really who the film is for.

 “ ‘Agnes’ is dedicated to them.”

 

 

 

 

The Sights and Sounds of 1972

 

(Pre-Agnes slideshow) 

(Click the link below to watch)

(On a PC or laptop, click the square box in lower left corner to view as full-screen.)

(On a smart phone, zoom manually. Just use fingers to widen video and enlarge.)

 

 

Agnes at 40

By Anthony J. Mussari, Ph.D.

Someone once wrote: Today we study the day before yesterday, so that yesterday will not paralyze today and today will not paralyze tomorrow.

With this in mind, it is instructive and wise to look back at June 23, 1972, with an eye for today and tomorrow.

Without question, the Agnes Flood had a powerful and lasting impact on our county, our city, and the lives of everyone who lived here. It not only proved that nature and man can never be fast friends, it also proved that people have an indomitable will to survive.

Those of us who were alive during Agnes remember the heroic battle against the Susquehanna River that brought 10,000 people to the dikes to sandbag; the army of volunteers who served flood victims at 81 disaster evacuation centers; the sounds of helicopters overhead; the emergency sirens on the ground; the roar of diesel engines powering huge army trucks; the cry of babies and people hurrying to safety; the pitiful moans of the elderly and the sick; the scratchy sounds of the emergency broadcast network; silence of the telephones that would not work, the stillness of neighborhoods waiting to be destroyed.

We remember the sights of June 27, when we returned to the flood damaged neighborhoods. The flood waters covered 225 miles of streets with thick mud giving every home and every street an eerie sepia tone. Veterans from World War II, Korea and Vietnam, compared the damage in these neighborhoods to the damage they observed in places like Dresden after the blitz, Inchon and My Lai.

We remember the interminable wait for help, the long difficult struggle to make our case nationally and in Washington, and the maddening inefficiencies of a bureaucracy that was not prepared, in any way, for a disaster of this magnitude.

As vivid as these memories are, they are but one important part of the story. Of equal significance was the response of individuals who wanted to help themselves and others. In my mind’s eye, the Agnes Disaster is a story of genuine heroism at the ground level. These are but a few examples.

Dorothy Tribus saved the life of infant Michael Reilly, who was born 10 weeks premature. The GAR Evacuation Center in Wilkes-Barre was managed effectively by Leo Solomon and staffed primarily by volunteers who were teachers and employees of the school district.  They cared for 700 people day and night.

Across the river in Dallas, Mercy Center treated 5,161 cases.  Fifty-two babies were delivered and 20 people were cared for and nurtured as they made their way to the other side.

Judge Max Rosenn created the Flood Recovery Task Force.

Min Matheson started the Flood Victims Action Council.

David DeCosmo put together an emergency broadcasting network. Marie Carpentier and Kitch Loftus destroyed the glass ceiling in radio and TV broadcasting for women, opening the way for others who would follow.

Again and again the flood victims themselves demonstrated the courage, resilience and grit that inspired others to keep moving forward.

Looking back on this time of destruction, danger and uncertainty, my most vivid memories are stories of heroics on the part of thousands who suffered much during the flood and after, stories of good humor and good will that helped people cope with the carnage.

On July 4, 1972, I wrote these words for a TV editorial:
When I think about all that has happened and the admirable way the people have responded, it all comes together. Americans seem to thrive on challenge, and the people of this valley are not going to be undone by the challenges of Hurricane Agnes.

Today, 40 years later, we are protected by a levee system that has been tested and not found wanting, but we have other challenges that are difficult and will, like Hurricane Agnes, test our determination and resolve.

Let us remember the dark, troubling days of Agnes to get the inspiration we need to keep moving forward with resolve that our valley will always be a valley with a heart, a valley with a soul and a  valley that will preserve our past to guarantee our future.

The heroic men and women who lost much and suffered much during and after the Agnes Flood believed in themselves. They refused to give up and give in.  They had hope for tomorrow. They demonstrated what America is at its very best.  They gave truth to the words of Oliver Wendell Holmes:

It’s faith in something, and enthusiasm for something that makes life worth living.
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Copyright 2012 Mussari-Loftus Associates, LTD

The Face of America Project

www.faceofamericawps.com
All rights reserved

Please provide feedback to:

tony.mussari@gmail.com

 

Lack of funds stalls 'Agnes' Project

Cash sought to produce Hurricane Agnes film

The Times Leader
December 27, 2011

By Sheena Delazio Weiss
Times Leader Staff Writer

The Times Leader - Dec. 27, 2011

WILKES-BARRE - With thousands of supporters and a host of footage and photos of the Agnes flood of 1972, a small group of volunteers hoping to produce a documentary of the flood is now struggling to find a way to make the dream happen.

Alan Stout, executive producer of the hopeful documentary, said that an application for a grant for the project from the Pennsylvania Humanities Council was denied. That leaves the group of volunteers little cash to actually produce the film - which they had hoped to debut in June 2012 - and asking the public for help.

"We have raised about $4,000 from local legislators and Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs," Stout said. "It's a long way from the goal of our original thought. We are at a crossroads, and we feel the public needs to know that."

Stout, who is employed with Big Brothers/Big Sisters of The Bridge, has been working on the project for the past 18 months with Tony Brooks, executive director of the Luzerne County Historical Society; Richard Briggs, who has worked with the Public Broadcasting System; Anthony Mussari, a former professor at King's College and award-winning filmmaker; and Frank Pasquini, former director of capital resources for the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Business and Industry.

The Agnes flood inundated several towns along the Susquehanna River in 1972, when the river reached 40.91 feet. Stout said local legislators Lisa Baker, John Yudichak and Eddie Day Pashinski have made donations to the project, and that four local television stations have offered all Agnes flood footage on file. The group also has support from 5,000 Facebook followers on its social networking page and has received hundreds of photos from supporters.

"We decided the project has too much historical and educational value to abandon it," Stout said. "But the project is in danger."

He said the documentary would be about 90 minutes in length and include licensed film from the major networks and licensed music. The plan, Stout said, would be to show the film to area schools and have a premier at the F.M. Kirby Center in Wilkes-Barre. The film would cost somewhere near $75,000 to complete, Stout said, and with only $4,000 accumulated thus far, the new goal of the group is to just finish the project.

"This is disappointing for us." Stout said. "This is not something that would have value only in 2012 (for the 40th anniversary of the flood), but a definitive historical documentation of the flood that has a value to generations to come."

 

Support surges for Agnes flood film

Support surges for Agnes flood film; let's keep it flowing

The Times Leader

January 24, 2011

By Alan K. Stout
Commentary

    SIX MONTHS ago, I wrote a commentary for The Times Leader's editorial page to commemorate the 38th anniversary of Tropical Storm Agnes and the ensuing flooding that destroyed much of the Wyoming Valley.

At the time, I expressed a desire to make a definitive, all-encompassing film on Agnes that would document exactly what our residents went through in June 1972 and how gallantly they fought to overcome what was then called the worst natural disaster in U.S. history.

    Today, plans for The Agnes Anniversary Project, as we have named it, are in motion. And at its center is that film, which we have simply titled "Agnes." It is our feeling that the word - at least here in Northeastern Pennsylvania - needs no further explanation or subtitles. The project team includes Richard Briggs, producer/director; Tony Brooks, historical consultant; Anthony Mussari, consultant/narrator; and Frank J. Pasquini, funding consultant. Their respective biographies can be viewed at www.agnes1972.com.

    I am proud to be working with these men on this important endeavor.

    Since we first proposed the idea, much work has been done. We have worked with news archivists at the CBS, NBC and ABC networks and have unearthed some remarkable footage of Agnes that probably hasn't been seen in nearly 39 years. We have discussed the project with WNEP-TV, WVIA-TV, WBRE-TV and WYOU-TV, all of which have offered support and use of archived material.

    We have reached out to the original publishers of four pictorial books on Agnes and all have granted us permission to use photos from those books in the film. We have discussed the project with state Rep. Eddie Day Pashinski, state Sen. Lisa Baker and Wilkes-Barre Mayor Tom Leighton. All have been supportive.

    We spoke before members of the Downtown Wilkes-Barre Business Association, which immediately voted to make a donation to the project. The Luzerne County Historical Society did the same. The Times Leader published an article two weeks ago on the goals of the "Agnes" film, and Sue Henry at WILK radio recently asked us to appear on her show to discuss the project.

    We have been encouraged by the interest and support. This has been especially evident since we unveiled the "Agnes" film trailer a few weeks ago on our Facebook page. Within days, the number of followers on the page reached several thousand. Older people expressed appreciation for the project. Younger people expressed shock at what they'd seen in the trailer. Hundreds of viewers posted comments. Some began to contact us, offering to share their photographs, home videos and stories.

    It has been inspiring.

    As the project gained momentum, I was reminded of a moment I had last summer when talks about the film first began. I'd gone for a long bike ride from my home on the West Side toward South Wilkes-Barre and Hanover Township, where I had lived as a young boy at the time of Agnes. About midway through my journey, the sky opened up and a heavy rain began to fall. I took refuge, of all places, under a covering at the River Common. It was a hot day with a strong, warm breeze, and that - combined with the pouring rain - made it feel quite tropical. On my iPod was some of the timepiece music, circa 1972, that I'd hoped to include in the "Agnes" film. And as I watched the rain splash upon the river while listening to those songs, I felt as if the past was speaking to me. And I felt compelled to try and make the project a reality.

    Now, I am starting to feel as if Northeastern Pennsylvania is speaking as well. Today, we are certain that the people of this region want to see this documentary and that they share our feelings on its historical and educational value.

    It would seem time is on our side, as we hope to finish the film by June 2012 - in conjunction with the 40th anniversary of Agnes. But that only applies if we can get working. And right now the project is still in great need of funding. To learn how you can help, visit www.agnes1972.com. And if you are on Facebook, consider becoming a friend of The Agnes Flood Anniversary Project.

    With the support of local officials, businesses and residents, we will make this film. And we will ensure that the legacy of Agnes and the great efforts to overcome it put forth by our parents and our grandparents will be properly documented for generations to come.