Curt Hahn is the director and producer of Deadline.
The movie is inspired by a true story and book written by Mark EthridgeNASHVILLE, Tenn. -
A Nashville based film maker is holding the premiere of his new movie in Green Hills on Wednesday night, just days before the movie hits the big screen in a limited amount of theaters on Friday.
The movie, Deadline is a product of Nashville-based Film House, and was filmed in Middle Tennessee.
The upcoming movie is inspired by a true story that actually occurred in South Carolina and tells the story of two Nashville reporters cracking a 20-year-old cold case murder of a 13-year-old boy.
"We've got four stars reviews. We have people who are really touched by our movie," movie producer and director Curt Hahn said.
Mark Ethridge is a longtime Charlotte Observer investigative reported who wrote a book titled "Grievances" on the case he helped solve. He is portrayed by Steve Talley, opposite of Eric Roberts in the film.
"The reporter in the movie is some sort of civil rights hero and I want to say I'm not the reporter in the movie and I'm me and we made him better than me," Ethridge said.
Hahn said many of the cast members are from Nashville.
"Ninety-eight percent of the actors are from Nashville, and 99% of the crew is from Nashville. The money to make [the movie] came from Nashville," he said.
Hahn said in a rare collaboration, he encouraged Ethridge's input.
"I said to Mark, ‘I want you to be here as much as you want to be,'" he said.
Hahn continued, "We were on set for about two-thirds of the filming and it was fantastic and I could go to him and he would say to me, ‘What happened at this moment when you were having a fight with your publisher over this story and get insights that I never would have gotten just doing it on my own.'"
Ethridge and Hahn told Nashville's News 2 they went to the same high school and had a chance meeting a few years ago.
"I love the book. I want to make a movie and it's your high school reunion and someone says, ‘They make movies' and you're thinking, ‘Yeah, yeah, yeah... We'll talk.' Well. I checked and yeah, he did have a movie company and had actually done some really good stuff, so it was serendipitous and wonderful," Ethridge said.
After Wednesday night's private premiere for charity, Deadline will be in 12 Mid-State movie theatres beginning Friday.
For more information, visit Deadlinefilm.com.
