The Amish

This video from the 1940s shows the Amish Huyard family harvesting wheat and tobacco using traditional methods. The film was taken by friend of the family Charles Noss, a photographer who worked at the nearby Hershey chocolate factory in Pennsylvania. Shortly after this was taken, most Amish groups were forbidden from posing for photographs and videos.

An intimate portrait of contemporary Amish faith and life, this film examines how such a closed and communal culture has thrived within one of the most open, individualistic societies on earth. What does the future hold for a community whose existence is so rooted in the past? And what does our fascination with the Amish say about deep American values?

This 1940s bonus video shows a Pennsylvania Dutch family in Lancaster County working in a field with no modern machinery. Not all Pennsylvania Dutch are Amish, and this family does not seem to be Amish due to their head coverings and clothing.

This 1940s footage from Lancaster County shows Pennsylvania Dutch candy makers rolling and molding hard candy. Not all Pennsylvania Dutch are Amish, and the flowery and colorful clothing of these candy makers confirm their non-Amish status.

A preview of "The Amish," an intimate portrait of contemporary Amish faith and life. The film examines how such a closed and communal culture has thrived within one of the most open, individualistic societies on earth. What does the future hold for a community whose existence is so rooted in the past? And what does our fascination with the Amish say about deep American values?