WILLIAMSBURG — Award-winning filmmaker Ken Burns is giving the Historic Triangle a sneak peek at his newest documentary, “The American Revolution” (airing on PBS on Nov. 16) on March 25 at 8 p.m. in front of the Governor’s Palace in Colonial Williamsburg’s Historic Area.
Burns will kick off the free public preview event, hosted by The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and the Virginia American Revolution 250 Commission (VA250), with live remarks about the project before previewing excerpts from the film on an outdoor screen.
“It’s a thrill to share the film with Virginians, especially in Colonial Williamsburg, which appears many times in our film,” said Burns. “As the capital city of Virginia, Williamsburg played a critical role on the road to revolution and around 250 years later, it was an essential resource and filming location for us to capture the look and feel of colonial life.”
Joining Burns at the event will be co-directors and producers Sarah Botstein and David Schmidt.
Schmidt, who grew up in the Williamsburg area and worked at The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation as a volunteer youth interpreter and member of the iconic Colonial Williamsburg Fifes & Drums, will also speak at the event.
“Colonial Williamsburg is very special to me, and I’m grateful for this full-circle moment to bring our film back home, to this extraordinary place that inspired my love for history,” said Schmidt. “CW also means a lot to our film. As filmmakers, we’ve been fortunate to find natural partners in The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, which shares a mission with us to bring our shared history to as many people as possible.”
Filming for The American Revolution, which has been in production for eight years, took place in over 100 locations across the nation, but nowhere did the filmmakers shoot more footage than in Colonial Williamsburg’s Historic Area, according to The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.
Eagle-eyed viewers will recognize Colonial Williamsburg landmarks including Raleigh Tavern, the grounds of the Governor’s Palace, the Capitol, the blacksmith shop and nearly 20 additional Colonial Williamsburg locations, it added.
While admission to the screening is free, advance registration is encouraged to receive event updates, including inclement weather notices, via text message and email.
Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets. For more information on inclement weather and parking options, visit va250.org/documentary-faq/.
The public screening is part of the third annual convening of A Common Cause to All, the largest gathering of nationwide organizers of the 250th anniversary of American Independence hosted by The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation and the VA250 Commission.
Previews of “The American Revolution” in Richmond and in Williamsburg will kick off a series of screenings and associated events being held across the country leading up to the premiere of the six-part, 12-hour documentary series on Sunday, Nov. 16 at 8-10 p.m. on PBS.
