CELINA, Ohio (4-7-25) – Bowling Green State University student Carter Hellwarth’s short documentary The Barn is Burning follows his family’s farm as it recovers from a harrowing fire with the help of its community.

In January 2024, Hellwarth Farms — operated by Garrett Hellwarth — lost its milking parlor to a fire, halting operations. Motivated to both share the story of resilience and raise awareness about modern agriculture across the board, Garrett’s youngest son, Carter, began crafting a film about the farm’s journey back.

Completed in January 2025, The Barn is Burning visually chronicles many steps of the farm’s rebuilding process: the charred remains of the parlor, the timber framework of the farm rebuild, and the newly installed robotic milkers. The film highlights how Hellwarth Farms embraced innovation in the face of loss. Throughout the film, Garrett Hellwarth emphasizes the place the community had in helping the family push past the issue.

The film has been submitted to the BGReel Film and Media Fest and the Latest Generation Midwest Film Contest. The film is available for viewing on Hellwarth’s Youtube channel (@CarterKapow). Carter Hellwarth currently pursues a dual major in Film Production and Communication at BGSU while developing his freelance video work.