Yesterday evening, on April 16, roughly 1,000 people filled the Pablo Center's RCU Theatre for the premiere of Volume One's short film documentary, A Half Century Home: 50 Years Of Hmong Resettlement In Eau Claire.

As folks entered the lobby, they were greeted by a number of displays featuring local and historic artifacts, spanning vibrant traditional clothing, visual art pieces, woven baskets and cookware, photos and more – curated by Power Up Eau Claire, Eau Claire Area Hmong Mutual Assistance Association (ECAHMAA) and the Chippewa Valley Museum. (Plus, hundreds of copies of our latest issue of Volume One, which includes our deep-dive feature story of the same name, A Half Century Home.)

Folks of all ages gathered for the free showing – created in honor and celebration of our Hmong neighbors – and laughter poured into the Pablo Center as old friends reunited; children walked hand-in-hand with their parents and grandparents; and community members expressed their excitement for the film.

Created over the past eight or so months, the 41-minute documentary is the culmination of over a dozen interviews, spanning multiple generations and including archival footage and historic photography from the Vietnam War era to today's familiar Eau Claire landscapes.

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DON'T BE AFRAID TO ASK QUESTIONS, TO LEARN FROM EACH OTHER.

That is what makes us all better, because we benefit from each other.

BLIA SCHWAHN

Applause, laughter and quiet sniffs of emotion were heard throughout the film screening. After the credits rolled, a Q&A conversation with local leaders featured in A Half Century Home – Blia Schwahn, Charles Vue and Caitlin Lee – was held on stage, moderated by co-directors Alex Barber and McKenna Scherer.

"Don't be afraid to ask questions, to learn from each other," Schwahn said during the Q&A segment. "That is what makes us all better, because we benefit from each other."

The premiere was a moment that can't be identically replicated; a shared experience that was intimate, created by and for our Chippewa Valley community.

From the Volume One team, a heartfelt thank you to our Hmong friends and neighbors, who welcomed us into their lives in order to create this film, its counterpart feature story and this moment.

A glimpse into the evening can be found below. The feature story hit newsstands just this week and is now available online for viewing – alongside local resources and information.

The short film will be, too, in the coming weeks; viewers can be notified when A Half Century Home: 50 Years Of Hmong Resettlement In Eau Claire is published online.

A special thank you to the Eau Claire Area Hmong Mutual Assistance Association, Wisconsin Hmong Chamber of Commerce, Pablo Foundation and our local sponsors, Northwestern Bank, UW-Eau Claire, Deborah Becker Insurance and Financial Services, Chippewa Valley Technical College and Royal Credit Union, for their support in this multimedia project.

Volume One was dedicated to making the film premiere free due to the cultural importance to our community. However, if you'd like to support the production of this short film and project, your donation is appreciated. A percentage of all donations are shared with the Eau Claire Area Hmong Assistance Association.

Donations can be made online.