A Virginia author’s script is coming to life as a feature film currently in production in Mathews and Gloucester counties.
Mark Richard’s award-winning collection of short stories, “The Ice at the Bottom of the World,” is the basis for the film which features the beauty of Virginia’s coastal communities.
The film industry in the state continues to grow, providing more than $1 billion in economic impact to Virginia Despite the contributions to the state’s bottom line, legislation aimed at increasing tax credits for motion picture productions failed in the General Assembly.
The movie brings star power to the state including Virginia Madsen, Jake Weber, Will Patton, Jon Tenney, Wes Chatham, Seth Numrich, Emily DeForest and Elise Eberle.
Producer Chris Miller said filming in Virginia was important because the state plays a central role in the film.
“Filming in Virginia will be an incredible experience,” said Miller. “The light, the coastline, the textures of the towns — they all carry this quiet authenticity that’s impossible to fake.”
It is directed by James C.E. Burke. Other producers include Richard, Marc Ambrose, Jayne Amelia Larson and Jeni Jones, according to an announcement sent by the Virginia Film Office.
The “Ice at the Bottom of the World” is a darkly comic tale about a Navy captain who returns to his Chesapeake Bay Island home after 35 years at sea, hoping to set things right with his long-suffering wife and spirited daughters before he dies. Chaos ensues when he accidentally shoots down a Navy jet, turning their already messy reunion into a wild mix of confessions, humor and forgiveness. Amidst the turmoil, their deep love and ironic wit help them face heartbreak and loss proving that, even at the end, love turns life’s biggest messes into something meaningful.
The production, filming this fall in the coastal and Chesapeake Bay regions of the state, is eligible for a Virginia film tax credit; the exact amount will be determined by the number of Virginia workers hired and local goods and services purchased.
“Local crew, businesses, and talent will play an important role in the production, underscoring the Commonwealth’s growing reputation as a destination for world-class filmmaking,” said Rita McClenny, president and CEO of Virginia Tourism Corporation.
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For more AFP stories on the film industry in Virginia, click here.
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Crystal Graham
