“The Farewell” is a short film written and directed by Buckley, filmed in southern Minnesota and on the West Coast, with scenes shot in New Ulm and Sanborn. The cast featured local performers, many of whom attended the event in person. Buckley lives in New Ulm.

“It started as a dream–literally,” Buckley told the audience. “I woke up and wrote it down, thinking it might be an animation. But the more I worked on it, the more I realized it needed to be live action.”

“We wanted the landscape to speak,” Buckley said. “There’s hardly any dialogue in the film. It’s about mood, movement, and memory.”

The score, composed by Colin Scharf, blends ambient tones with natural sound, reinforcing the film’s quiet intensity.

Filmmaker Peter B. Buckley unveils the poster for his upcoming sci-fi short, “Day of the Jaekelopterus,” during a community presentation in New Ulm.

Cinematographer/editor Dan Crandall emphasized the importance of collaboration on a small-scale production.

“There’s a lot of moving parts in a film like this,” Crandall said. “But when everyone’s focused on the same goal, it really comes together.”

Buckley spoke candidly about the challenges of independent filmmaking–tight budgets, small crews, and scheduling hurdles–but praised the cast and crew for their dedication.

“Everyone showed up with heart,” he said. “That’s what makes a project like this possible.”

During the Q&A, audience members asked about casting, post-production, and Buckley’s creative influences. One attendee noted the film’s quiet power.

Filmmaker Peter B. Buckley shares insights on “The Farewell” during a community screening and Q&A at the New Ulm Public Library

“It felt like watching a memory unfold,” she said. “You didn’t need words to feel it.”

The New Ulm screening drew community members, cast participants, and regional supporters of local filmmaking. For Buckley, it was a chance to connect with audiences face to face and share the locally made project that support from the Prairie Lakes Regional Arts Council and the McKnight Foundation helped bring to life.

Buckley also announced his next project, “Day of the Jaekelopterus,” a science-fiction story still in early development and planned for filming in Minnesota.

Buckley’s creative résumé spans directing, screenwriting, and performance. His film credits include acting roles in “Uprising,” “Lunch Hour,” and “Assault on Fort Ridgely,” while his stage work features character roles ranging from Sherlock Holmes to Captain Renault in “Casablanca.”

As a director, he’s led independent projects including “The Farewell” and the upcoming “Day of the Jaekelopterus,” and has also written and performed in radio plays and festival productions such as “A Thousand Words” and “Shadows.”

Props from “The Farewell,” including a sea-soaked letter and memorial stone honoring the lost trawler Matilda Rose.

Buckley said the film will be available on Vimeo following its festival run, offering broader access to audiences.

Cinematographer and editor Dan Crandall, part of the team behind “The Farewell,” at the New Ulm Public Library following the screening.

Members of “The Farewell” cast joined writer/director Peter Buckley during Saturday’s screening. From left: Sophia Harsh, Katie Lynn Schwartz, Peter Buckley, and Charlie Mihlbauer.