Sisters movie set to screen here

The family feature film "Ugly Benny," shot almost entirely in Sisters last summer, will be shown in a special community screening at Sisters Movie House on June 19, at 7:45 p.m.

Local producer Michael Gough said the screening is being offered "to show appreciation to the people of Sisters, Oregon, for their support of creating a film and television industry in Central Oregon."

Writer/director Richard Brandes will be on hand with Gough and local director of photography Eli Pyke. Many of the local crew and cast will be present. There will be a brief Q&A session after the film. And the filmmakers will discuss their vision for creating a viable film and television industry in Central Oregon.

The viability of such a cottage industry was demonstrated in the film shoot last summer. From securing locations to local infrastructure and catering to skilled film crews, the Sisters Country community proved more than able to support a production.

Gough convinced Brandes that Sisters has the facilities and the professional expertise to pull off a quality film production.

"The locals didn't make a liar out of him," Brandes said last summer. "They backed him up big-time... Michael knows what he's doing and I trusted his judgment of the local people and the local industry, but it's kind of surpassed my expectations."

Gough said he was very proud of the way Sisters stepped up to the project. Sisters' response was a key element in Gough's long-range vision.

Gough is steadily at work trying to bring more productions to Sisters. The area offers settings that please the camera's eye, and has now proven itself as a film town. And Gough sees a cottage industry of film production as an ideal economic boost for the community - employing a range of people, tapping local services and calling positive attention to the area.

The story of Ugly Benny centers around a pet store in Summerville, where "a lovable, mysterious, but quite homely little wiry haired mess of a puppy" enters the lives of the store owners and their clientele - and has a profound, positive effect on a troubled boy named Alex.

There is no charge for admission, which will be by reservation only. There is limited seating of 114 total. After cast, crew, and guests RSVP, film makers anticipate there will be approximately 65 seats open for the public to reserve at: [email protected]