Spring 2012 could see the nationwide screening of a film almost entirely produced in Alabama.
“Andy and I were born and raised in Alabama. We love living here. So we also love working here,” said Jon Erwin, who wrote and directed “October Baby” with his brother Andy.
The movie tells the story of Hannah, a 19-year-old girl who discovers that she is the survivor of an attempted abortion. In her journey to find her biological mother, Hannah struggles with love, forgiveness and her view of her own life.
“October Baby” was filmed in Shelby and Jefferson counties. The lead actress, Rachel Hendrix, is a Dothan native.
Beginning Oct. 28, the film will be released in theaters around Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee. It is set for national release in early 2012.
The Erwins grew up in Birmingham. They began their cinematic careers as sports cameramen for ESPN. In 2005, they began creating music videos for Christian artists. Michael W. Smith’s “How to Say Goodbye” was their first video, and they won their first Gospel Music Association Dove Award for Casting Crowns’ “Slow Fade” in 2009.
The brothers also have two documentaries under their belts: “The Mysterious Islands” and “The Cross and the Towers,” which won awards at the Heartland Film Festival and the Palm Beach International Film Festival.
“October Baby” is the Erwins’ first foray into feature films. Jon Erwin expressed excitement about their new project.
“I directed second unit on ‘Courageous’ and caught their vision and heartbeat,” he said. “I felt that I was on the sidelines of the Christian film movement.”
While the brothers made “October Baby” as Christians, they hope to present its message in a story that can appeal to all audiences.
“Great films don’t give answers as much as they ask penetrating questions,” said Jon Erwin, who attends The Church at Brook Hills, Birmingham. (Andy Erwin attends Oak Mountain Church in Birmingham.) “I hope this would cause lots of discussion and make people ask questions.”
The Erwins hope that the style and story of “October Baby” will appeal to secular audiences and, at the same time, force viewers to consider how they think about abortion.
“[We hope that] people would be entertained, no matter their stance on the issue, to see a coming-of-age drama and a love story,” Jon Erwin said. “But if we can have people see life as beautiful, worth sacrificing for — that life is worth it, I think this movie can save lives.”
And the brothers’ hopes for the film’s national screening are being realized with the help of the American Family Association and private donors.
“We’ve definitely suffered rejection from the Hollywood system,” Jon Erwin said. “There’s no funding available for the subject matter.”
But more and more people have committed to helping him and his brother produce and market “October Baby,” making this “a movie by the people, of the people and from the people,” he said. The success of the film’s limited release will help determine how widely theaters across the nation distribute it.
A list of theaters participating in the limited release can be found at www.octoberbabymovie.net/theaters.
Share with others: