For Hollywood movies there are the Oscars. For television drama, news, and sports, there are the Emmys. For the best local TV and finest video and film productions there are the Telly Awards.

Legacy of the White Eagle, a new documentary about World War II written in Middleburg and produced at LightYear Studios in Leesburg, has just won three of these highly respected national awards.

This documentary tells the story of resistance to the German Army after the occupation of Poland in 1939 and the subsequent Warsaw Uprising, through the memories of former Middleburg architect, Julian Kulski, who participated in the war as a young teenage soldier in the Polish Underground Army.

This unique documentary contains some never before seen footage. The 45-minute documentary, based entirely on the book by Dr. Kulski, was produced and directed by Sam Rotolo at LightYear Studios in Leesburg. Kim Hart, of Middleburg, is the Executive Producer. Hill School student Dylan Bosserman narrates portions of the documentary as the voice of the young Julian Kulski.

The awards received were:
• Silver Award (1st Place) for Documentary Cinematography;
• Bronze Award (2nd Place) for Documentary Suitable for Broadcast; and
• Bronze Award for Documentary Suitable for Education.

Cathy Gorn, Executive Director of National History Day, who are both sponsoring the project and distributing the book and DVD said, "Legacy of the White Eagle is about growing up during a time of great upheaval, a time when circumstances required young people to become adults and find the maturity to take on responsibilities beyond those of an average high school student. Julian's story inspires and teaches us about courage, determination, personal strength, and the meaning of freedom. And it reminds us why the study of history is so important."

When asked about receiving the Telly awards, producer Kim Hart said, "Julian wrote a fabulous book and Sam Rotolo has brought it to life in the documentary. I'm thrilled that the awards jury has confirmed how good both of them are."

The book and DVD are available at Books & Crannies in Middleburg and on line at the National History Day website: www.nhd.org.