Friday, April 27th - 5:00 pm - Oak Street Cinema Director: Erik McCowan   World Premiere! Director Invited   Swift of leg, fleet of wing, proud of tooth, humble of mien, he is Minnesota’s gift to the nation’s table. If we go banging the drumstick for Ruby Begonia we are not saying she deserves a place at the table alongside our Dan Patch or Phar Lap or Sea Biscuit of the racing world. But we owe her--or is it a him-- some respect, be he (she) loser or winner...

Which is the subject of a major surprise in this year’s fest, where the question is being asked: which city in these United States really is the “Turkey Capital of the World.” Many here would say Worthington, Minnesota, where September’s King Turkey Day, now in its 69th year, memorializes  the town’s return to prosperity owing to the gobbler’s role in revitalizing the area’s farm economy following the Great Depression. But not so fast! Along comes Cuero, Texas, a post-Civil War, south central Texas town of 7,000, which also lays claim to “Turkey Capital of the World.” It hosts its annual Turkey Trot with turkey grand parade, free pancakes, and Great Gobbler Gallop. It’s here that birds and men are separated, with its Ruby Begonia facing Worthington’s galloper, Paycheck (so-named because “he goes so fast”) to decide who rightfully wears the crown until the next year. Winner takes home the Traveling Trophy of Tumultuous Triumph. (in the race’s history, Paycheck has 19 victories to Ruby’s 14). Cuero filmmaker Eric McCowan merrily chronicles the rivalry in both Cuero and Worthington as folksy Texans vie with stolid Worthingtonians for bragging rights in this thriller of a documentary.

Cast: Erwin Ruth, Jason Rogers, Ruby Begonia

USA, 90 minutes, 2006, DVD

Presented by: Lerner Publishing