Made-for-TV film to be shot in West Kelowna
A Mother's Nightmare may be a dream come true for the Okanagan Film Commission.
The film, which will appear on Lifetime Movie Network, will begin production in West Kelowna later this month.
The flick stars Jessica Lowndes—Adrianna in the TV series 90210—and Annabeth Gish, who appeared in SLC Punk and Double Jeopardy.
Grant Gustin, who debuted on Glee as Sebastian Smythe last November, will also have a main role in the picture.
A Mother's Nightmare is written by Shelly Gillen and will be directed by Vic Sarin, one of Canada's most celebrated directors of photography.
The production office will be set up at the Super 8, where all of the cast and crew will stay during the filming process.
A home near Quail's Gate Winery will be utilized as the main house in the movie; Mount Boucherie Secondary School will be a key set location; negotiations are underway to transform the exterior of the district municipal office into a hospital.
Jon Summerland, Okanagan Film Commissioner, said that if all goes well, West Kelowna may be a more permanent destination for Lifetime Movie Network films.
"Lifetime does 12 movies a year and this director is going to do at least four," said Summerland.
"If we can make this work and they can have a great experience here. . .maybe they'll go, 'Wow, we can save a bunch of money, it's beautiful and sunny, why don't we do all our Lifetime shows here?' So you never know."
Summerland said there is a lot of pressure to make sure things go smoothly, but he feels comfortable with the crew: A team consisting of 95 per cent Okanagan locals.
"They've had a couple of instances with the learning curve. . .but I think we've done a great job as a group to make this happen. I think people will see that this is an easy place to film."
Even if Lifetime doesn't set up shop permanently on the Westside, Summerland is optimistic that other opportunities will continue to land on his desk.
"I think we're probably busier than Vancouver, if you (compare) per capita; we're doing quite well this year."
wpaterson@kelownacapnews.com
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