Local film “Gordon Family Tree” premiered to a sold-out crowd May 22 at Malco Razorback Cinema in Fayetteville.
There were 290 seats sold for the show, and another showing the following evening was also sold out, said Jennica Schwartzman, executive producer for and supporting actress in the film. Following both showings, guests could interact with cast and crew through a question-and-answer session, she added.
“Gordon Family Tree” is about a man named Freemont Gordon (Ryan Schwartzman), who works at an architecture firm. His most beloved skill is carpentry, which he doesn’t embrace because he feels like he needs to be something more celebrated than “a builder,” according to the film’s website. He decides to help his boss’ childrenbuild a tree house, and after he discovers the joy in this, he quits his job and takes a road trip to find himself.
Along the way, he meets amazing people who inspire him, such as a homebuilder character that is based on Ryan Schwartzman’s father, Jennica Schwartzman said.
The homebuilder changes Freemont’s view of the world, and he is able to figure out who he is and return home to his life, she said.
About 20 local actors had speaking roles in the film, she said. The movie wasfilmed almost completely in the region, except for one day in Los Angeles to get establishing shots of the city’s downtown area, she said.
The crew received the finished product only about a week ago, Jennica Schwartzman added.
“Gordon Family Tree” was recently entered into the International Family Film Festival and won the Pearl Award, which is the festival’s top prize given to a film that most exemplifies family strength, she said. “It was a huge honor.”
Filmmakers have nowsubmitted to 12 more festivals and will put updates on their Facebook page, she said. The film will also have a special screening at the Offshoot Film Festival in Fayetteville in October.
An after-party followed the May 22 premiere at the UARK Bowl.
Jennica Schwartzman said the film has gotten the response they had always dreamed it could.
“It was a complete joy to listen to people tell us how inspired and how moved and how impressed they were with this wholesome film,” she said.
She added that the film is really about how inspiring the South and the community are.
“The community that was shown in the film really mirrored the amazing community of Northwest Arkansas.”WEB WATCH
‘Gordon Family Tree’
gordonfamilytreethemovie.
com or search Gordon-Family-Tree-The-Movie on Facebook
Northwest Profile, Pages 38 on 05/26/2013