Seattle Filmmakers Bring World War II Film to the Big Screen
Brad Vancour
Special guests, investors, and World War II veterans will have the chance to see an exclusive red carpet preview screening of the World War II film, THE LAST RESCUE, and meet the Los Angeles cast on Saturday evening, October 4th at the Edmonds Center for the Arts.
The film’ s director/producer Eric Colley and writer/producer Hallie Shepherd (owners of Fireshoe Productions) are natives to the Puget Sound area and will host the red carpet event. One of the film’s executive producers, Brad Vancour, is also local to the area, residing in Woodinville. THE LAST RESCUE stars Cody Kasch (Desperate Housewives, Chain Letter) as Private Lewis, a young soldier unprepared for the horrors of war. His hesitation in battle results in the severe wounding of his commanding officer Captain Beckett (Brett Cullen, The Dark Knight Rises, Lost). Beckett’s life-threatening injury delays the field hospital evacuation and as a result, Lewis and Beckett are stranded behind enemy lines with Lieutenant Maxwell (Darren Keefe), Nurse Corps officer Vera Cornish (Hallie Shepherd) and her subordinate Nancy Bell (Elizabeth Rice, Mad Men). The group takes a high-ranking German officer (Tino Struckmann) as their prisoner and tries to orchestrate an escape.
Supporting roles offer unforgettable performances by Gilles Marini (Sex in the City, Dancing with the Stars) as a grieving French farmer, Johann Urb (the Resident Evil franchise) as a German military policeman, Ryan Merriman (Final Destination 3) as an American paratrooper, and Seattle native Tony Doupe (Safety Not Guaranteed) as a villainous SS commander.
One unique aspect of the story, which broadens its appeal to a wide range of audiences, is its portrayal of the women who served during World War II. While most historical war films only feature women in secondary roles away from the battlefield, THE LAST RESCUE puts them in danger alongside the men, which was the reality for many servicewomen during that time. Most notably, 67 Army nurses were held as POWs by the Japanese in World War II.
Filmed in November 2013 in rural Alabama, THE LAST RESCUE filmmakers teamed up with military reenactment groups from the southern states to use authentic, restored World War II military vehicles, weaponry, and props. The majority of the cast and crew were flown to the set from the Los Angeles and Seattle areas, with additional cast and crew coming out of Atlanta, Alabama, and surrounding areas.
Brad Vancour (Right) with Cast Member, Brett Cullen
The film has already been signed by Los Angeles-based Artist View Entertainment. “We are very excited to be involved with this tightly crafted war picture. The high-end production values, clever direction, and crisp cast performances make this a very unique, entertaining feature film,” says Artist View’s President Scott J. Jones.
Fireshoe Production’s next film will be shot in the Seattle/Tacoma area in 2015.
Contact Information:
Hallie Shepherd, Producer, Fireshoe Productions, 310.684.3939 ext. 3; hallie@fireshoe.com
Brad Vancour, Executive Producer, 206.484.0167, brad.vancour@rsir.com
The Last Rescue, Cast & Crew