Film shot in Oceana County scheduled for Sept. 8 release.

Film shot in Oceana County scheduled for Sept. 8 release.

By Allison Scarbrough, Editor.

The feature film UP ON THE GLASS that was shot in locations in Oceana County is scheduled for release Sept. 8.

UP ON THE GLASS, produced by Michigan-based production company Save Them Wild Dogs, was filmed at the Silver Lake Sand Dunes, Stony Lake Inn and the Old Channel Inn in Montague, said Producer/Co-Writer/Actor Nikki Brown, who has ties to the local area.

The 96-minute film is currently available to pre-order on iTunes and Amazon, with the on-demand release scheduled for Sept. 8.

UP ON THE GLASS offers “a timely discussion of class dynamics in America against the backdrop of Oceana County and a dangerous love triangle,” states a press release from the producers.

“The Midwest is all too often portrayed as flyover territory,” said Brown. “The reality is that the region is vibrant both in urban and rural areas. Having been raised in Grand Rapids and spent summers on the shores of Lake Michigan in Oceana County, I have a deep appreciation for this area and its people. I’m excited to share the beauty of this place and community in UP ON THE GLASS.”

“Because of COVID, the film will not be played in theaters, though we were accepted into the Capital City Film Festival in Lansing and hopefully will screen with them whenever they are able to hold their festival,” Brown said.

UP ON THE GLASS is an “arthouse thriller” distributed in North America through Gravitas Ventures, a Red Arrow Studios company, providing entertainment to movie lovers during the COVID pandemic.

Director/Co-Writer/Producer Kevin Del Principe “creates a palpable sense of dread that permeates throughout this film. We look forward to unveiling it to North American audiences this fall,” said Tony Piantedosi, Vice President of Acquisitions at Gravitas Ventures.

“According to a recent survey, 70 percent of people would prefer to watch a new film release at home, even as COVID restrictions ease in some states,” states the press release. “In the midst of this new entertainment environment, arthouse films could see a resurgence, especially as Hollywood film releases are delayed. If there is a silver lining for independent cinema, blockbuster scarcity could compel movie fans to explore more films by ‘indie’ creators.

“Film festivals, distributors, and filmmakers are all demonstrating resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic by deploying creative strategies to support artists, build community, and continue creating great content. UP ON THE GLASS is scheduled to have its festival premiere at Buffalo International Film Festival Oct. 8-12, 2020, which is exploring social-distanced theater viewings, drive-ins, and virtual screenings as potential venues.

“Reminiscent of the thriller THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY, UP ON THE GLASS is about a wanderer named Jack DiMercurio who secretly desires the life and wife of his more affluent friend, Andy Shelton. Past tensions surface between the two men during an informal reunion at Andy’s cottage on Lake Michigan. One heinous act allows Jack to draw close to Andy’s wife Liz, but Jack finds living Andy’s life is a dangerous lie.

“The UP ON THE GLASS filmmakers hope their thriller-feature can provide much-needed entertainment during this time and provoke conversations about class in America. The wealth gap has been widening over the past 40 years, and now with more than 30 million Americans receiving unemployment benefits due to the coronavirus pandemic, class remains an important issue that is not discussed enough in film.

“Growing up in a blue-collar family, the idea that pursuit of higher education would lead to a better life was imbued in me,” said Del Principe. “For so many of my generation, this has not been the case due to a variety of economic and social factors. The main character in UP ON THE GLASS, Jack, has tried to rise in America but it has not worked out as he’s hoped. Subsequently, he feels lost, distanced from his peers and from the elite institutions that allowed him entry but have not enabled him to climb in them accordingly. Characters like Jack deserve a voice because he embodies so many who have strived but been left behind. For Jack, the pressure he feels due to his class situation and the lack of trust he has in institutions leads to devastating consequences.”

“The husband and wife creative team behind UP ON THE GLASS, Kevin Del Principe and Nikki Brown (now Nikki Del Principe) first met as students at University of Southern California’s MFA Writing for Screen and Television program. One of their points of connection was that they both hail from the Midwest — Kevin from outside Buffalo, New York and Nikki from Grand Rapids. After producing two short films together, the creative duo founded their production company, Save Them Wild Dogs, to tell stories overlooked by mainstream media, particularly in the Midwest, and made the leap into their first feature with UP ON THE GLASS.

“UP ON THE GLASS was shot in and around the lakeshore town of Shelby, Michigan where Nikki spent summers as a child. A year after shooting the film, Kevin and Nikki married in this same town. They recently relocated from Los Angeles to Memphis, Tennessee in order to participate in the growing indie filmmaking community there with the intention of expanding Save Them Wild Dogs in the Midsouth.”

UP ON THE GLASS stars Chase Fein (On the Rocks, Hard Surfaces) and co-stars Chelsea Kurtz (The Flash, Scandal, Longmire, Variant) and Hunter Cross (Love Finds You in Valentine, Suburban Swingers Club).

Watch the trailer for UP ON THE GLASS here: https://vimeo.com/369844065

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