The Fallen name has been changed to The Grift

The motion picture community will get a good look at Columbia Sept. 15, when “The Grift” is screened in Hollywood.

A select group of “tinsel-town’s” actors, producers and film distributors will view the film prior to its national release. Originally entitled “The Fallen,” nearly all of the movie was filmed on location in and around Columbia last year.

The film stars movie veterans John Savage and William McNamara as well as relative newcomers Jeremy London, Sarah Downing and Clare Kramer. Also appearing in a major role in the film is Columbia native Hanna Hardin. Hardin is the daughter of Tom and Dwayna Hardin and is a Battle Ground Academy graduate. She has been developing a career in acting and modeling while commuting between Hollywood and classes at the University of Texas.

“The Grift” was written by Columbia resident Pamela Smith who also co-produced the film with friends Ralph Portillo, Jamie Elliott and Brad Wilson of Hemisphere Entertainment. It is set in Middle Tennessee in the 1940s just after the end of World War II. The story is about a family of grifters and the cons they run while temporarily nesting in this area.

Smith and her husband, Paul, returned from California last week after working on the final mixing and editing of the movie.


“I’m very pleased with the project,” Smith said. “It’s a terrific film — beautiful to look at and very effective emotionally.”

Smith said she also was pleased with the movie’s soundtrack.

“It is nearly all the original music of O.C. Stockard. They are great tracks and very vital to the story,” she said.

After the final screening in Hollywood and a possible run at some selected film festivals, the producers hope to have a special screening in Columbia.



“We have every intention of having a screening here,” Smith said. “I’ll be sure to keep you posted.”

Greg Menza may be contacted at [email protected] or (931) 388-6464 ext. 3054.

http://www.columbiadailyherald.com/articles/2006/09/06/top_stories/03film.txt