'At Last' Premiere in Baton Rouge

"At Last," a love story shot in New Orleans before Katrina, will premiere at Siegen Village 10 on January 26 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The event will be used as a fund-raiser for rebuilding efforts. The movie has already premiered in Shreveport and will go into initial distrubution in 40 other theaters.

Tom Anton of New Orleans took his first stab at directing with this film, as he also produced the movie along with first time Executive Producer Jim Davis of Shreveport.

"At Last" is based on Anton's real-life experience with Sandi Russell, his wife and a producer and co-writer of the film as well. To make and distribute the movie, Anton and Davis created RiverDream Productions.

For the movie premiere in New Orleans, RiverDream Productions is selecting a nonprofit that can raise awareness for the premiere and raise funds for that nonprofit to continue assistance due to Katrinas devastation.

According to an article in the Shreveport Times Davis said, "Our thinking was, why don't we open up in a couple of places and see what we do right and see what we do wrong," he said, considering it a 'soft launch.' The movie played in Shreveport and Bossier City for about two weeks, and after the premiere in Baton Rouge in January, they plan to open the film in select cities nationwide.

The Times reported that, "The film's main characters, Mark Singleton and Sara Wood, represent Anton and Russell. Mark and Sara are childhood sweethearts who went separate ways but exchanged love letters for years. Now in their 40s and unhappily married to other partners, Mark rediscovers their letters and re-establishes contact with Sara. They decide to rendezvous in New Orleans to see if they can rekindle an old flame. But their family baggage complicates a second chance at love. "

"Much of the film is set in New Orleans, which Anton considers a character in the film. Anton owns a home in the French Quarter. 'Living in the French Quarter is very unique. You just become a part of the city,' he said. 'I know all of the street vendors, musicians, restaurant owners and gallery owners. It's an unbelievably tight community.'"

With the help of cinematographer Roberto Schaefer, (who did Monster's Ball, also shot in New Orleans, & Finding Neverland) the two men found that they were able to capture the spirity of city.

As I have discussed in a previous post, many films made in New Orleans often portray a one-sided party image. Keeping with this Anton affirmed that, "Other films shot in New Orleans show Bourbon Street or Mardi Gras and (don't) capture the essence of living in the French Quarter. I think we did that."