By Samantha Highfill

For one week every summer, the South attempts to rise again in Tennessee. This time it has nothing to do with the war.

In Southern Belle, the past is no longer behind us. Since 1990, young girls from the ages of 14 to 18 have been gathering in Columbia, Tenn. to learn about becoming genuine Southern ladies—not women, but ladies. These young women are taught penmanship, etiquette, dance, singing and how to tie a proper corset. For seven days, they’re pulled out of the 21^st century and put into 1861.

The weeklong camp takes place at the headmaster’s home, which was originally a college for young women from 1850-1920. Mark Orman, the founder, works to keep the young girls in the mindset of 1861 by having them participate in teas, learn how to curtsy and, of course, learn to resist the urge to lead when dancing with a male partner. After all, there is no excuse for being rude.

Southern Belle is an honest documentary that takes a backseat to the action without losing the true impact of the camp. From telling montages of girls tying their corsets to childlike testimonials of the young women talking about their love of playing dress-up, the film captures every angle of this somewhat disturbing experience.

A true sign of an objective film, Southern Belle has received a wide variety of reactions, from people leaving the film crying to others wanting to sign their daughters up. But the underlying themes of this film are the most striking. Whether it’s the lack of discussion on slavery or the mention of female submission, the audience is captivated by what the young girls don’t realize they’re learning. This is a film about what’s not there, Kathy Conkwright, one of the filmmakers, says.

These young women are learning about what it’s like to wear seven layers in the July heat, and they’re learning the lyrics of “Dixie,” but it’s what they’re learning, unknowingly, that is the cause for discussion and the true message of this skillfully executed documentary.

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