Submitted photo Local filmmaker Lonnie Martin has been awarded an Appalachian College Association recently awarded a Faculty Summer Fellowship.

ELKINS — The Appalachian College Association recently awarded a Faculty Summer Fellowship to Davis & Elkins College Assistant Professor of Theatre and Film Lonnie Martin.

The Fellowship will go toward Martin’s Post-Doctoral Research Project, which is a short film entitled “The Lady Window,” a narrative fiction piece that explores themes of liberation, gender equity, and self-determination in the wake of World War I.

The ACA funds will support essential post-production processes for the short film, including editing, color correction, sound design, music composition, sound mixing and visual effects.

“This project is a personal labor of love,” Martin said. “It also showcases D&E’s commitment to faculty-led creative research that integrates artistry, scholarship, and teaching.

“The College has been immensely supportive with both encouragement and resources. I’m hopeful the finished film will enhance the visibility of the Theatre and Film program, and serve as both a recruitment tool and an example of the high-caliber work that can emerge from a small liberal arts environment.”

“The Lady Window,” which is tentatively scheduled to be completed in April, features Davis & Elkins College alumni both in front of and behind the camera. Principal photography for the film was completed during four days of shooting at the Graceland Inn & Restaurant on the D&E Campus, and on private property in Doddridge County.

Martin received recognition for his second-ever film, released in 2018, titled “The Last of the Manson Girls.” Martin’s previous work was screened at the Fantasia International Film Festival, Temecula Valley Film Festival, Eerie Horror Film Festival and West Chester Shorts Film Festival. In 2016, he produced, wrote and directed a series of sexual harassment training videos for the U.S. Army.

The ACA, through its 2025-2026 Faculty Fellowships, seeks to furnish financial support to member institutions’ faculty for post-doctoral research or pre-doctoral completion in the 2026-2027 academic year. This year, 31 faculty members representative of 23 institutions have been granted this prestigious opportunity.

The ACA is a non-profit consortium of 33 private four-year liberal arts institutions located in the Appalachian region. The Association is governed by a board composed of the presidents of all member institutions, and an executive committee with representation from presidents and chief academic officers.