Watch the premiere of Shenandoah at 8 p.m. Apr. 23 on VPM PBS

The Shenandoah Valley is one of the most picturesque National Parks in the U.S. with a vast assortment of wildlife, as well as expansive mountains and rivers. The complicated history and transformation of the Valley is the subject of a new documentary film from Orange Frame Productions and VPM titled Shenandoah.

Shenandoah will premiere on Apr. 23 at 8 p.m. on VPM PBS and the PBS App. The film will also be available on VPM’s main YouTube channel the following day. Visit vpm.org/shenandoah for more information.

“From migrating eels to ancient caverns, uncovering Shenandoah’s intricate worlds through all its seasons has been a great honor,” said director Elizabeth Crowl. “It means the world to see the film reach the screen after over five years of production.”

A cinematic journey through one of America’s most iconic landscapes, Shenandoah is produced by Orange Frame Productions, presented and co-produced by VPM, with the cooperation of Shenandoah National Park. Originally conceived as a short film for the park, the project evolved over five years of filming—with exclusive access to the most restricted areas—into a feature-length documentary. The film explores an ancient wilderness where geology, wildlife, and humanity drive constant change.

Shenandoah also explores the history of the park itself, chronicling how the physical landscape and its cultural impact has shifted over time.

“We’ve been really excited to work with the producers on such a beautiful film,” said VPM Chief Content Officer Steve Humble. “The stories that are shared are unique to the Shenandoah Park but people all over the country will enjoy learning more about this national treasure.”

Shenandoah is dedicated to late director Jeff Boedeker, who unexpectedly passed away during production. Expanding upon Jeff’s original vision, Elizabeth Crowl (the film’s co-director, producer, and co-writer) led the production team to complete the feature film. Under the stewardship of Anna Boedeker (owner of Orange Frame Productions) Jeff’s legacy lives on through this work—an invitation to witness a federally protected sanctuary in its full majesty and to feel part of something greater than ourselves.

“This film is dedicated to my late husband, Jeff Boedeker, who had the original vision for Shenandoah,” said co-executive producer Anna Boedeker. “Jeff always dreamed of expanding this story into a feature film and realizing that vision has been a deeply meaningful part of our team’s healing process.”

Looking for more Shenandoah content? Be on the lookout for Shenandoah Digital Shorts from VPM Spark! These short films will explore the hidden stories of Shenandoah National Park. Check out the first short featuring an extraordinary story of The American Eel below.
Upcoming Screenings

VPM is partnering with Massanutten Regional Library for several upcoming screenings of Shenandoah. See below for the current schedule:

• June 25 from 3-4 p.m. at Shenandoah Community Library
• July 29 from 10-11 a.m. at the Elkton Community Center
• August 27 from 6-7 p.m. at Central Library in Harrisonburg

In 2019, Shenandoah National Park granted Orange Frame Productions exclusive access to film anywhere within the park. During this time, the OFP team scuba dived into mountain caves to film the elusive American eel, climbed cliff faces to witness a peregrine falcon’s first flight, and ventured far off the beaten path to discover the endangered Shenandoah salamander.

Shenandoah premiered on Oct. 26 at the Virginia Film Festival inside the Culbreth Theater. In addition to the screening, audiences were treated to a panel discussion on the film moderated by VPM Chief Content Officer Steve Humble.