For centuries the Basques, an ethnic group who live in the Pyrenees straddling Spain and France, have successfully fought potential conquerors--from the Visigoths to the Vikings to Napoleon Bonaparte--and maintained their ancient language and culture.

Integral to their unique way of life has been shepherding, a tradition that Basque immigrants brought to the U.S. in the 1800s. In The Last Link, filmmaker Tim Kahn tells the story of modern-day Basque-American shepherds who have clung to their traditions even as the world passes them by. The documentary focuses on Pete Camino, an 83-year-old shepherd who is one of the last Basque farmers in Buffalo, Wyoming. The movie, screening Sunday (February 15) at 6 p.m. at the Blessed Sacrament Church Hall, celebrates how Camino runs his ranch the way his forefathers did, but it also shows how modern farming techniques and a changing economy threaten Camino's way of life.

Kahn also interviews a new generation of Basque-American teenagers who are steeped in American pop culture and have a much looser connection to their Basque heritage. The Last Link illustrates that the biggest threats to the Basque's culture and traditions are no longer invading conquerors but the economic, technological, and social changes that affect us all.

The Last Link's venue is found at 3020 Heather Street, and admission is $6. For more information, contact Vancouver's Zazpiak Bat Basque Society at bcbasque@bcbasque.com/.