7 Years in Vermont is the latest Made Here film from Cabot filmmaker and outdoor sports enthusiast Onel Salazar. Originally from Nicaragua, Salazar settled in Cabot, Vermont seven years ago. In his latest film project, Salazar observes the beauty in the changing Vermont seasons from his perspective, and features other Vermont voices as well. The film is a love letter to Vermont and its natural setting. Salazar was a recipient of the Made Here Fund, which he used to help make this film.
Filmmaker Onel Salazar answered questions about the film via email with Vermont Public's Eric Ford. This interview has been lightly copy edited.
Eric Ford: Out of all the places you've traveled to in the world, how did you end up living in Cabot, Vermont?
Onel Salazar: I came to Vermont because of my wife. We meet in Nicaragua so we spent a few years living together there until we decided to move to Vermont. She grew up here in Vermont and since we moved here we've been living in different places in the Central Vermont area until we ended up in the lovely town of Cabot.
Eric Ford: What inspired you to make a film about the seasons?
Onel Salazar: Since I came to Vermont everything was very new in my surroundings. I was so amazed about long days in the summer but also about the short days in the winter. It was nice to see all the changes in the environment moving with the flow of the seasons. I noticed how those changes affected Vermonters' attitudes from getting very excited to getting sad and tired. But the beauty was how the seasons complement each other to bring necessary changes and something to look forward to, making this very healthy for our minds and souls.
Eric Ford: What are you hoping people will take away from seeing the film?
Onel Salazar: I hope people see my film in a positive way. Sometimes we just need to get outside and enjoy the beauty of the seasons. I believe that each season has something special, but sometimes it becomes so easy to be in the comfort of our house that we forget how nice it is to get out and enjoy nature. I hope this project will bring a positive attitude for us to enjoy our beautiful surroundings.
Eric Ford: What are some other places you'd like to travel to?
Onel Salazar: I would like to go to Asia and specifically Japan. I'm so into discovering new things, like a different culture full of new food, music, traditions and the every day lifestyle. It would be nice to bring my camera so I can have some very good shots of the environment and make a nice video about all of these things.
Eric Ford: What kind of film project do you want to work on next?
Onel Salazar: I have been thinking about making a documentary focused on what Vermonters think about marijuana legalization. It would be interesting to see the different opinions in one video. I know that marijuana is very beneficial for some people but also taboo for others. I have another project in mind which is about racism in Vermont. I would like educate people about microaggressions. People ask very personal questions like, "Where are you from?" They ask this just because the color of my skin or because of my accent, and I know that it is not because they are being malicious, but because they don't know how interact with someone that they see as different. I want to help people understand that even if they are trying to be kind, these kinds of questions make me feel uncomfortable, like I don't belong.
7 Years in Vermont premieres on Vermont Public's main TV channel 8 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 3 and is available now on demand.