Joseph Moser
In her new documentary, Bess O’Brien continues to shine a light on the people of the Northeast Kingdom, as well Vermonters in other parts of the state, focusing on compassionate acts that range from the quiet and subtle to the loud and demonstrative. “Every Day: Big and Small” is a whole-hearted celebration of the civic bonds that sustain people in times of struggle and moments of celebration. As the film’s opening states, “In Vermont . . . community spirit is not rare.”
The documentary will be screened at the Savoy Theater in Montpelier on Oct. 1 and Oct. 2; each screening will be followed by a Q&A with Director Bess O’Brien.
Through 20 vignettes, O’Brien offers compelling cases to support her thesis about the civic-mindedness in our brave little state. A Peacham couple struggles in the aftermath of their home having flooded but is buoyed by the kindness of their community. In Barton, volunteers provide a meal to dozens of their neighbors. A St. Johnsbury teen center supports young people with nowhere else to turn, and an Asian American mother operating her family-owned restaurant pauses her work to enthuse about her son’s acceptance to Dartmouth; nearby, participants in a free writing exercise use their prose to help continue their journey of recovery from addiction; and also in St. Johnsbury, a men’s group called Ignite Change fosters accountability for men with severe anger issues.
Another strength of the film is how it foregrounds people of color and LGBTQ+ individuals in Vermont. An immigrant farmworker and his white boss peacefully go about their day at Small Axe Farm; two employees (both women of color) at SUSU CommUNITY Farm discuss what makes this business unique; a middle-aged immigrant in Williston finds friendship as well as long-term lodging with his elderly host via Homeshare Vermont; and in Barnet, a Jamaican man and a self-described “Black redneck” sells Caribbean food at an event for people who enjoy driving trucks through mud bogs. Meanwhile, in Barre, members of the LGBTQ+ community hold an outdoor Pride rally in the heart of the city, and to the south, trans people perform a drag show to a small but lively crowd at the Rutland Elks Lodge.
In almost every case, these members of minority groups are shown integrated into their broader community, sometimes receiving support and acceptance from surprising sources.
Since O’Brien’s film has such a broad sweep, however, featuring dozens of subjects in many cities and towns, it lacks the depth and cumulative impact of her 2018 documentary “Coming Home,” which poignantly tracks five formerly incarcerated people. I also found myself wishing that “Every Day” offered suggestions for how to scale up acts of kindness like those showcased in the film to tackle colossal problems such as Vermont’s housing crisis, although perhaps O’Brien will find a way to do that in her next project. Nonetheless, “Every Day” provides something genuinely uplifting for almost any viewer. Regardless of age, race, class, or gender, Vermonters will find a reason to disarm their cynicism for 90 minutes and be inspired by the decency of their fellow human beings.
“Every Day: Big and Small” will be screened at the Savoy Theater on Oct. 1 and 2.
