Montana Rides the Festival Circuit
Sundance was completely virtual again this year, but that didn't stop audiences from enjoying the two projects that were shot in Montana.
The first episode of the ten-part series Bring on the Dancing Horses, directed by Michael Polish and starring Kate Bosworth, screened in the Indie Episodic section of the festival. The series, filmed in Butte, is a modern-day western drama that tells the story of an assassin (Kate Bosworth) who is out to complete her list of targets and exact her own brand of poetic justice. Read an interview with Michael Polish here and learn why he thought Montana was the best place to shoot this series.
In God's Country, a grieving college professor confronts two hunters she catches trespassing on her property. She's drawn into an escalating battle of wills with catastrophic consequences. God's Country was filmed around Bozeman and Livingston. Directed by Julian Higgins, it stars Thandiwe Newton (HBO's Westworld), along with Yellowstone cast member, Jefferson White. Check out the review from Variety here. God's Country was a recipient of the Montana Film Office's Big Sky Film Grant. Learn more about the grant program here.
|
 |
|
Looking ahead, the Manchester International Film Festival will be happening from March 12-20 in Manchester, England. The short film Homestead was chosen as an Official Selection and will have its world premiere on March 18. This film was shot in Paradise Valley and was directed by Skye Bennett. It stars Jenna Ciralli and tells the story of a woman returning home to a small Montana town and attempting to reunite with her estranged father. See the full line-up for Manchester here.
|
Recent and Upcoming Releases
Searching for your next made-in-Montana film? Below are three feature films shot in Montana that have been released on demand and one more that will be available soon.
 |
|
THE LAST SON
- Filmed around Clyde Park
- Starring Sam Worthington, Machine Gun Kelly, and Heather Graham
- Released on December 10, 2021
- Rent it on Amazon Prime, Apple TV, Redbox, and Vudu
- Watch the official trailer here
|
SHATTERED
- Filmed in and around Big Sky and Bozeman
- Starring Cameron Monaghan, Frank Grillo, and John Malkovich
- Limited release on January 14, 2022
- Rent it on Amazon Prime, Redbox, and Vudu
- Watch the official trailer here
|
|
 |
 |
|
LAST SURVIVORS
- Filmed in and around Butte
- Starring Alicia Silverstone, Stephen Moyer, and Drew Van Acker
- Released on February 4, 2022
- Rent it on Amazon Prime, Apple TV, Redbox, and Vudu
- Watch the official trailer here
|
TED K.
- Filmed in and around Lincoln
- Starring Sharlto Copley
- Will be released in theaters and on demand on February 18, 2022
- Screening in Missoula at The Roxy Theater February 18-24, 2022
- Screening in Helena at The Myrna Loy March 4-17, 2022
- Watch the official trailer here
|
|
 |
Featured Location - Comet Ghost Town
Montana is the Ultimate Location, but finding the right spot for your next film can be daunting in a state with 147,040 square miles. But you don't have to wander around alone. The Montana Film Office can guide you to the perfect spot. We will highlight some of the state's unique places in this newsletter. Make sure to browse our Location Database for more inspiration.
Comet is a small ghost town 20 minutes north of Boulder. Its name comes from the nearby Comet mine which opened in the 1880s and faded in and out of operation until the early 1940s. Once home to 300 residents, the entire property is now privately owned. While open to public viewing, please respect the owner's wishes and enjoy the structures from a distance at all times.
For more pictures and information on Comet check out the complete listing in our Location Database. Interested in filming at Comet? Please contact Sean Tippin, Locations Coordinator at the Montana Film Office, for assistance.
Montana Talent Spotlight
In this issue we introduce our Montana Crew and Talent Spotlight. Here we will highlight members of the Montana film community.
MARY RIITANO, ACTRESS
Mary Riitano is based out of Helena and has been working in the film business for almost 12 years in Montana. Most notably, she portrayed Nelly in Wuthering Heights, which will be released on demand in March 2022. For that work, she earned a Best Supporting Actress award from the Idyllwild International Cinemafest in March 2020. Riitano also played Amber in Useless, which you can catch on Amazon Prime right now.
When asked about working in Montana, Riitano said, "I really appreciate the approachability of nearly everyone I work with in state as well as the ease of getting to a film set and, of course, the gorgeous Montana landscapes. I feel like Mother Nature gifts us with her visual presence and beautiful light. Montana landscape always shows up incredibly on screen. Honestly, I have to say the people here in this state are gold. When I wear other hats in film production and reach out to people or businesses for assistance, I receive generous answers or they point me in the direction of where I might get help if they don’t have what I need. The Montana Film Office is, and has been, a huge advocate for our films and offers a continually evolving place to share information and resources."
Read the full interview here and learn how Riitano got started in film, which Montana-made films she loves the most, and her advice to others in the film community.
Take Our Survey
If you work in the Montana film and television industry, we need your help! The Montana Film Office has partnered with Econsult Solutions Inc. (ESI) to report on the economic impact of Montana film production. This data is then given to our State Legislature and will influence any decisions regarding expanding the MEDIA Act tax credit.
Participating in the following survey will only take about five minutes of your time, but could help yield big results for the film community. The Montana Film Office does not see your answers; any follow-up will be done by ESI. It is imperative that we have accurate data to report to legislators, and we can’t do it without you. Take the survey here and support your future as a filmmaker in Montana.
Contact Us
Want more information about the Montana Film Office?
Call: 406.841.2876
Visit: MONTANAFILM.COM
Email: montanafilm@mt.gov
|
