'The Royal' among latest movies filmed in Augusta; more are on the way
Miguel Legoas
Correction: A previous version of this story gave incorrect details for the invitation-only movie screening, which will now be at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 27, at Riverwatch Cinemas. The story has been updated.
In the past year, Augusta has had some major cinematic screen time. The 2021 hit "The Suicide Squad" featured the old Augusta jail, and Mel Gibson's "Agent Game" released in April included several shots of downtown Augusta. Now, Craft & Vine, Le Chat Noir and other Augusta hotspots can be seen in the sports bio-pic, "The Royal." Plus, Dennis Quaid recently finished filming his own sports drama, "The Hill," which spotlights Lake Olmstead Stadium, and an independent film highlighting Savannah Rapids has been submitted to Sundance Film Festival. Here are more details on these movies, where they were filmed, and how to watch them:
'The Royal'
Now showing in limited theaters and on streaming services, "The Royal" tells the story of Willie Aikens, a former first baseman for the Kansas City Royals, covering his rise to stardom, his fall due to drug abuse and his eventual comeback.
Aikens is played by Amin Joseph, who starred as Jerome Saint in FX's "Snowfall" series. He was also featured in Dwayne Johnson's "Baywatch" as well as the Sundance Film Festival winner "Dope." Some other notable featured actors include
Dallas Dupree Young from Netflix's "Cobra Kai" series and Michael Beach from "Aquaman."
Several Augusta filming locations were used to tell Aikens' story. Some of the more well known spots include:
Inside Craft & Vine restaurant and bar on Broad Street
May Park on Fourth Street
Inside Thankful Baptist Church on Walker Street
Lake Olmstead Stadium on Milledge Road
Inside Miller Theater on Broad Street
Le Chat Noir on Eighth Street
It was also the last production to utilize the former Augusta Law Enforcement Center on Walton Way as a primary location for filming, according to Film Augusta liaison Jennifer Bowen.
Film Augusta has scheduled a private, invitation-only screening of the movie at Riverwatch Cinemas off I-20 at 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 27.
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'The Hill'
Another baseball drama is on its way. "The Hill" is based on the true story of Ricky Hill and how he overcame a physical handicap in order to become a Major League player. Hill is played by Colin Ford, star of Netflix's "Daybreak" series, while his father James is played by Golden Globe-nominated star Dennis Quaid.
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The movie features some major names in sports cinema. It was written by Angelo Pizzo, who wrote "Rudy" and "Hoosiers," and Scott Marshall Smith, who wrote "When the Game Stands Tall."
"The Hill" was filmed entirely in the Augusta area. One of the major locations was Lake Olmstead Stadium, but Film Augusta said it cannot release the full list of film locations until the trailer is released. The trailer is expected as early as September, but it could be later.
'Angst'
The prevalence of depression and its impact are what Yasim Kolathayil of Martinez wanted to convey with the movie "Angst."
Kolathayil said he was inspired by a friend's connection to a real-life tragedy in Texas. In Dallas, two teenagers from immigrant families struggled with depression, and that mental illness became worse and worse, ultimately leading to multiple deaths. "Angst" is based on that story.
Kolathayil particularly hopes parents learn and benefit from the messaging. Depression affects nearly two million children, according to Visions Adolescent Treatment Centers.
"Everybody wants their kids to be doctors and engineers," he said of the pressure that can be put on adolescents. "Consider the kids, consider what their aspirations are rather than the parents' expectations."
Kolathayil and co-director Shaji Kamalasanan shot scenes for the film in multiple local locations, particularly in Columbia County, including spots in the West Lake community, the Dunkin' on Furys Ferry Road, and at Savannah Rapids.
They also consulted multiple mental health experts, one of which is from Augusta, but whom they would not identify, in order to effectively and appropriately tell the story.
"Angst" has been submitted to multiple film festivals, including Sundance, and whatever the outcome of those, Kolathayil said he is pretty happy with his first full-length feature.
Because it is up for film festival consideration, the movie is not yet available for public viewing. They plan to make the movie public for anyone to watch in early 2023. For more information, including a trailer, go to the "Angst – The Movie" Facebook page.
More movies to be filmed in Augusta
The Augusta Commission approved a lease on Tuesday, July 12, to allow the old Craig Houghton Elementary School on Fourth Street to be used as a filming location. Details on what will be filmed have not been released. Mark Crump of Reflecting Pool Productions, who requested the lease, said the network in charge will not allow him to provide any detailed information on the project at this time.
Film Augusta said there are a couple more film projects coming to the area, but would not give any further details about them because they are in pre-production.