207 Film Works

Our Mission

To build community through Maine-based filmmaking and storytelling.

About 207 Film Works

207 Film Works is a filmmaking collective in midcoast Maine founded by Ricky Leighton. The goal of our organization to document unique Maine stories for preservation and audience experience with entire Maine based crew and creative members. Projects are chosen based off of their connection to Maine, cultural significance and accessibility.

Current Projects

Downeast Hardcore: Stories from the Kave

Downeast Hardcore: Stories from the Kave is a documentary that tells the story of Kathy Findlay aka Kathy “Kave” and a music venue built in her home in Bucksport, Maine that attracted dozens of national hardcore and metal bands. The location also served a much bigger purpose of providing a safe space for teens and young adults to be themselves, listen to music they enjoy, surrounded by others who share the same interest, all in a chem-free environment in a rural community. The Kave operated for almost 20 years before it closed its doors in 2016 when Kathy was diagnosed with Leukemia and forced to fight for her life. Now, almost 7 years later she is working on her recovery and revisiting the community that she held so dear.

Previous Projects

"Candlepin" is a documentary about the beloved hobby of candlepin bowling by native Mainers, exploring rural Maine's connection to the sport and the small business culture that is struggling to shift their business model to keep this tradition relevant.

The film tells the story of the dying breed of bowling centers and how some new bowling centers are attempting to grow and evolve. Candlepin: the Documentary features the Martin family of Bowl-A-Rama in Sanford, ME, Bob Parella of Paramount Industries in MA and state champ Judy Bowden.

Funded in part by a grant from the Maine Arts Commission, an independent state agency supported by the National Endowment for the Arts.