Scarlett Red Carpet Movie Premiere Coming to San Antonio in Two Days
We are getting pretty excited and apparently we’re not the only ones đ
Check out this article on My San Antonio
San Antonio gets red-carpet premiere with dash of Hollywood
Gala movie premieres, complete with tuxes, limos and a sprinkle of Hollywood glamour, are few and far between in San Antonio. Thatâs why this news pricked up my ears:
Actor Stephen Baldwin (âThe Usual Suspectsâ and TVâs âThe Apprenticeâ) is among those scheduled to walk the red carpet outside the Santikos Palladium IMAX Thursday night. Also expected is Alveda King, niece of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and a friend of the filmâs producer.
Even if you donât have a ticket, youâre invited to watch and snap photos of the parade, which begins at 7 p.m.
The occasion is the kickoff of faith-based feature film âScarlett,â which stars Baldwin and an able cast of lesser-known actors and is produced by the locally based Strong Foundation Films. It was shot almost entirely in the Alamo City â the River Walk, the Dominion, other locales â and Boerne, with some spectacular beach scenes captured with the waves of Corpus Christi and Mustang Island.
Based on the movieâs trailer and descriptions, âScarlettâ is a tale of intertwining dilemmas thatâs meant to inspire. At its center is a religious couple â talented architect Scarlett (Chloe Hurst, âThe Nice Guysâ) and her fiancĂ©, Chase. Their plan is to fulfill their dream of building a church and then get married. However, a devastating wrench is thrown their way: Scarlett is diagnosed with terminal cancer, which prompts an inner struggle that has her questioning God.
Meanwhile, living next door to Chase is Mia, who is pregnant and in an abusive relationship. Whatâs more, the babyâs father is pressing her to have an abortion. The sounds of domestic violence draw the attention of Chase, who, like a good Samaritan, intervenes.
âIt is an emotional roller coaster, with situations most can relate to,â said director Josiah David Warren, 26, who also plays Chase. Baldwin plays his dad, whom Chase turns to for advice when he starts to feel overwhelmed by all thatâs happening.
What sets this film apart from other contemporary movies with dark storylines, however, âis its hope,â Warren said. âIt leaves you with a sense of peace at the end, a kind of resolution.â
âScarlettâ is the latest movie produced by Warrenâs mom, Sun Hui East, the local pastor who started Strong Foundation Films in 2011. East writes and executive produces the films, while ministering to her flock at First Love Christian Church here.
The South Korean native said she has discovered that media may be a more effective way to spread her message than sermons.
Hollywood also has heeded the call, but with much bigger budgets. Husband-and-wife producing team Mark Burnett and Roma Downey recently released their epic reimagining of the movie âBen-Hurâ in theaters after their successful collaboration on âSon of Godâ two years ago. On TV, the pairâs miniseries, âThe Bible,â and its follow-up, âA.D.: The Bible Continues,â drew hefty audiences.
Faith-based entertainment is being embraced more and more, East said, because âthereâs so much negativity in the world and people are seeking messages of hope, something to touch the heart.â
She and her son also are taking on television. âWeâre six episodes deep into a TV series called âAn Unlikely Familyâ (about a pastor and his wife who adopt two homeless kids),â Warren said, adding that Hallmark Channel has expressed interest.
The duo said they started their journey with smaller films and expanded to bigger ventures bit by bit.
âWe wanted to build our skills. Each movie has been a stepping stone,â East said.
Until recently, she added, they hadnât reached out to a Hollywood name.
âScarlettâ and their next release, âRunâ â a movie about human trafficking that also was shot here â were more expensive than the others, largely because they feature Baldwin, East said.
The actor, known for much edgier films such as the aforementioned âSuspectsâ and âThreesome,â turned his attention to inspirational movies after his conversion to Christianity. In an interview for Strong Foundation, he praises âScarlettâ for its purity.
The premiere is nearly sold out, but some tickets, at $15 apiece, are still available by phone at 210-749-8707 or 303-349-6178. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers.
Starting Friday, âScarlettâ will play at several San Antonio theaters, including Palladium, Santikosâ Silverado 16 and Northwest 14, then branch out to other markets. For more information, visit scarlettmovie2016.com.