Miles Away

Cow Camp, Idaho.

The closest grocery store is about an hour drive away. You can go for miles and miles in any direction without finding any signs of civilization. At the end of each year, during ’round up’, this place is packed with people who help bring the cattle down to the valley before the frost of winter takes over.

It’s August 2009 now and it feels like Cow Camp is the most desolate place in the world. For six months, this is the place that Gene and Josh, two young cowboys, call home. During this time, it’s their duty to take care of the cattle, doctor them if needed, manage the land and repair the fences.

The small house that they live in only provides them with the most basic needs. Running water or electricity are luxuries that are out of place in the life they live at Cow Camp. Life out here is tough, but it is their friendship and the love of the lifestyle that keeps them going. To Gene and Josh there is no existence more sacred.
Born a cowboy, die a cowboy.

Filmography of directors “Miles Away”

Daniel Dumitrescu, born on May 21st 1987, has just finished his bachelor in journalism studies at Arteveldehogeschool in Ghent, Belgium (2010). With “Miles Away”, he won the prize for the best thesis in tv-journalism studies of 2010. In 2005, before he started his bachelor in journalism, Daniel lived in Bancroft, Idaho for one year as an exchange student. It was there where he first got in touch with the cowboy life and tradition. That life-changing experience played an important role in going back 5 years later to make his debut documentary about the life of two Idaho cowboys.

Bram Mervillie, born on June 28 1986, got his degree as Assistant-Director at RITS film school in Brussels(2009). As part of his education at RITS, Bram had a real succesful internship at ‘Witse’, a well-known, Belgian crime series. In 2010, he produced a reportage ‘My life in the lodges’ in collaboration with Belgian national radio , Radio 1, and journalist Roeland De Trazegnies for the Theater group ‘Vooruit’. Since January 2010, Bram has been working as cameraman/editor at a company that produces corporate videos. With “Miles Away”, Bram also made his debut in the documentary genre.

Titus Simoens, born on May 25th 1985, got his bachelor degree in Audiovisual Techniques - Photography at Karel De Grotehogeschool in Antwerp, 2008. For his thesis “Close to Romania”, Titus was awarded the prize for best thesis of 2008 at Karel De Grotehogeschool Antwerp. A whole series of group and solo exhibitions followed, with the Bozar, Brussels, Canvascollection exhibiton, the exhibition ‘L’ aventure du rêve lucide’ at the Antwerp Photo Museum (FoMu) and the exhibition ‘America, America’, at 44 Gallery in Bruges, 2010. His latest solo exhibition 'See Moon A Rising', was held at MuDel in Deinze, 2011. Currently he is working as a freelance photographer for De Standaard. “Miles Away” is also his first audiovisual documentary.

Cast

• Gene Frandsen
• Josh Olseon
• Rance Butler
• Woodrow W. Butler

Crew

• Camera: Bram Mervillie and Titus Simoens
• Editing: Wouter Bouvijn and Daniel Dumitrescu
• Sound Recording: Bram Mervillie
• Sound Design & Mix: Gedeon Depauw
• Typography design: Hannes Nolf
• Website: Brecht Omey
• Music: Steven De Bruyn
• Music recording: Maarten Devoldere
• Photography: Titus Simoens
• Concept by Daniel Dumitrescu