a place between memory and myth
I approached the Town of Stanstead to begin a long, unfolding documentary series about the town as seen through its inhabitants, as is the Way of the NOMAD, as I like to see it. I love this town. I first discovered it at boarding school, at Stanstead College, though we didn’t leave campus much, or could even go very far.
As I grew older and had children of my own, these idyllic images returned: rolling hills, lush forests, winding rivers, in a New England-style border town that not even Stephen King was lucky enough to be born in. And as those images formed in my mind, so did this place call me back, only for me to realize it wasn’t a myth I was building, but a memory I was remembering.
And so we live here now, my partner Charlotte and I, my two teenage girls, their 13-month-old brother, and our dog Leia. And it’s a very good life. The girls go to the College, in some surreal unfolding of my own memories, but of course seen from a new place now. Not much has changed, yet everything seems different to me. More beautiful, more special, unique, indescribably magic.
Charlotte runs her deli from an old bank, the attic of which we inhabit, all of us at Maison Gorchon. As for me, I’m in that attic through the days, planning and making and editing and uploading my movies, my atmospheric films, elevated Slow TV, my own streaming channel. NOMAD Slow TV. A stream of consciousness. A window to Heaven on Earth.
And so I made this first short documentary in collaboration with the Town of Stanstead, and I’m incredibly grateful for it. For the time with each subject, of course, but especially for the Town trusting me with this venture, this vision of mine to share what I see here. Hopefully I’ll make many more of these in the coming years.
This one is a good start though.
.j.
A Portrait of Stanstead is a short documentary that captures the spirit of this historic border town through the voices of those who live, work, and lead here. The film was directed by Jason Rodi, a Stanstead College alumnus who has returned to the town to raise his family. Told entirely through interview and supported by cinematic visuals, the film offers a sincere and lasting portrait of Stanstead as it stands today, rooted in history, yet looking ahead.
Filmed in the summer of 2025, the documentary features local voices including past and present mayors, business owners, educators, community leaders, and youth. Their reflections form the backbone of the film, offering insight into the town’s evolution, its challenges, and its strong sense of community. The result is a grounded and poetic work that invites viewers to see Stanstead through the eyes of those who know it best.
Commissioned by the Town of Stanstead in celebration of the 30th anniversary of its municipal amalgamation, the film also marks the beginning of an ongoing series of community portraits. In the coming weeks, each interview will be released as a standalone video, contributing to a growing living archive of local voices.
Film by Jason Rodi | NOMADlife.tv
Music by ANTENNAE | ANTENNAE.tv
Portraits of Stanstead | interviews with some that have shaped our town
In this intimate series of video portraits, we meet some of the people who embody the spirit of Stanstead, past, present, and future. From civic leaders and educators to artists, entrepreneurs, and youth, these portraits offer personal insights into those who have helped shape the identity of this unique border town.
Filmed with care and curiosity, each interview reveals not only the individual’s story, but also the deeper fabric of Stanstead itself, a place where history, community, and vision continue to meet. Whether it’s in the quiet preservation of heritage at the Colby-Curtis Museum, the bold leadership at Town Hall, or the youthful optimism echoing through school halls and factory floors, these voices reflect the many faces of a town still writing its story.
Explore the people behind the place. Witness Stanstead.
Sylvie Boudreau - Stanstead Documentary
Suzy McDonald, Head of School at Stanstead College - Stanstead Documentary
Jonathan Vanasse - Granit Design - Stanstead Documentary
Katie Lowry - Stanstead Documentary
Jane Rodi - Colby Curtis Museum - Stanstead Documentary
Monique & Paul Pépin - Stanstead Documentary
Philippe Dutil - Stanstead Documentary
Elizabeth Keeler - Stanstead Documentary
A Meditation on Running | a portrait of Mike Wolfe, Stanstead College Head
Next, I’d like to share A Meditation on Running, which offers a gentle and thoughtful introduction to the town through the figure of Mike Wolfe, who was Head of School at Stanstead College when we first moved here, capturing something essential about the place: its rhythm, quiet strength, and way its people move through the world with intention and purpose.
Stanstead College | Portraits of a Place that Shaped me
Next, I invite you to explore a series of short documentaries I created to share the spirit of a place that has deeply shaped me. I consider it one of the greatest privileges of my life to have studied at Stanstead College. More than just a school, it’s a community, a home, and for me, the beginning of a lifelong story.
Founded in 1872, Stanstead College is a small international boarding school for grades 7 through 12, with a student body of around 250 and a dedicated, deeply involved faculty.
This is Stanstead College
Sanitas: Athletics in Motion @ Stanstead College
The Man I Want to Be: Varsity Boys Hockey @ Stanstead College
Sisters: Varsity Girls Hockey at Stanstead College
AliX - A Night with the Spirits | Stanstead as Storybook
To me, Stanstead is a canvas, a place where an ordinary evening can take a magical turn. AliX - A Night with the Spirits is a home movie tells the story, equal parts real and imagined, of the night my 10-year-old daughter, AliX, didn’t come home. Shot in a single day with no crew, this father-daughter creation turns familiar streets and spaces into the setting for a mystery.
In it, you’ll see Stanstead through the eyes of a child: full of secrets, shadows, and stories waiting to be discovered. It’s a reminder that small towns can hold vast worlds. A Night with the Spirits represents what this page is all about: Stanstead as a living backdrop for creativity, community, and personal myth-making.
Festimusik | Spirit of the Stanstead Summer
Stanstead comes alive each summer with FestiMusik, an open-air musical gathering held in one of the town’s most iconic and mystical locations: the Stanstead Stone Circle. This documentary captures its very first edition, an unforgettable day where music, community, and landscape merged into something timeless.
The Stanstead Stone Circle | Art, Myth, and Community
Tucked beside the Tomifobia River, the Stanstead Stone Circle is one of the town’s most iconic and inspiring landmarks. Designed by local artist Kim Prangley and inaugurated on the Autumn Equinox of 2009, the circle is made entirely from locally sourced granite, an homage to both the ancient Celtic stone circles of Europe and Stanstead’s own legacy as Canada’s granite capital. Aligned with the 45th parallel, the site evokes a deep connection to the earth, the sky, and the unseen rhythms that bind them.
Since its creation, the Stone Circle has become a space of gathering, introspection, and creativity. I’ve returned to it time and again, camera in hand, drawn by its quiet power and sculptural presence in the landscape. A music video for Amélie Veille, an art film called Polaris, an atmospheric film capturing the circle in winter, and even a concert, the Sturgeon Moon ANTENNAE, and so much more yet to come.
The Stanstead Stone Circle is a living symbol of the town’s past, present, and future. Through these films, it continues to reveal itself as a place where history and imagination meet.
Amélie Veille - Trois petits tours - music video
Polaris - Good Sine
The Stanstead Stone Circle - Stanstead Stonehenge Winter | The Inner Sound by Jesse Gallagher
Sturgeon Moon ANTENNAE at the Stanstead Stone Circle - live atmospheric music
NOMADslow.tv Stanstead Collection | The Poetry of the Seasons
To truly know Stanstead, you have to listen to the wind through the trees, follow the curve of the Tomifobia River, and watch the light change over the hills. Through NOMADslow.tv, I’ve spent countless hours doing just that, getting lost in the landscape to capture the quiet, poetic rhythms that define this town.
This evolving collection is a meditation in motion: long, unhurried shots of rivers, forests, fields, and skies. It’s the texture of Stanstead without narration, just nature speaking for itself. Shot through all seasons, these atmospheric films are both personal and universal. Together, they form a deeper portrait of Stanstead, not through words, but through silence, movement, and time.
Stanstead Fields | Jesse Gallagher - Maestro Tlakaelel
Stanstead Sunset - I Don't See the Branches, I See the Leaves - Chris Zabriskie
Stanstead College Head of School Halloween House - Hey Come Together by Lobo Loco
Stanstead Memories of Fall | Black Birds Over Stanstead College
Stanstead Memories of Fall | Alumni House Rooftop
2hr relaxation | Ambient Autumn | Stanstead Memories of Fall of a Rainy Day
Stanstead Memories of Fall | War Memorial | Luminous Rain by Kevin MacLeod
Stanstead Memories of Fall | Memphremagog Lake House
Flecks of Light - The Tower of Light - Stanstead College
Winter Rush | 4K Winter Ambiance on NOMADslow.tv
Stanstead Winter Path - Voice Of The Turtle by John Fahey
Stanstead College - Winter Drone Ambient
Clouds Rolling Over Stanstead - Calm Piano
Slow Light Strings of Winter - Stanstead 2023
Winter Notes Stanstead 2023
Stanstead Sunset - Boundless Energy - Nate Blaze
Stanstead Spring Walk to the River with the Dogs
Snowy Winter Day Stanstead 2023
The Inner Jungle - Stanstead
Streets of Gold - Stanstead Baseball Game
Romantic drone tests
Autumn Flight above Stanstead | Dark Fog by Kevin MacLeod
Stanstead College Fall Drone Ambiant
Phares - Stanstead Reverse Sunset
Maison Gorchon | Our Family Deli at the edge of Town
Many of the NOMADslow.tv films featured here were shot in and around Maison Gorchon, our family deli nestled in the historic village of Beebe, right on rue Principale. More than just a place to eat, Maison Gorchon has become a gathering spot, a crossroads of stories, laughter, and shared moments. Charlotte, with her warmth and culinary artistry, has built a space where locals and visitors alike feel instantly at home.
Montreal to Stanstead Arriving at Maison Gorchon
Maison Gorchon - Autumn Yard | Eric Bolduc BOUVETØYA music
Chef Charlotte Gorchon cooking by the river
Charlotte Picking Field Flowers - Passing Time - Kevin MacLeod
Maison Gorchon in Clouds - Stanstead Fall 2023
Stanstead College Dog Walk Antnio Bizarro - McPherson J
Turtle - Cylinder Seven - Chris Zabriskie
First Snow Falling on the NOMAD mobile | Deliberate Thought by Kevin MacLeod
A Year from my Window
Lee Farm Inn | A Timeless Stanstead Retreat
Finally, step into the timeless beauty of Lee Farm Inn through this atmospheric film, captured in peak autumn for NOMADslow.tv. Set against the golden backdrop of Stanstead, this visual retreat transforms the historic estate into a sanctuary of calm and color.
This page is a growing tribute to a place that continues to inspire me every day. Through atmospheric films, collaborative stories, and documentary portraits, I’ve tried to share the many layers of Stanstead, its people, its landscapes, and quiet magic. What began as a personal journey, returning to the town where I went to school, has become a family story, a creative wellspring, and a vision for what storytelling can do when it’s rooted in place.
Thank you for taking the time to explore this evolving portrait. May it invite you, as Stanstead once invited me, to fall into its charm.