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August 22, 2014
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Films draw on local culture and history
Period movie shot in Lubec
by JD Rule

 

      On August 21 and 22 parts of Lubec's Water Street were returned to 1870, with characters walking the street and filling local restaurants while wearing period garb. The occasion was the filming of an as‑yet unnamed feature‑length movie set in that era.
     The brainchild of New York‑based actress Erica Fae, who wrote the script, is the director and has taken on the leading role of Abby, the movie tells of an unlikely romance between a woman lighthouse keeper and a Swedish sailor. Antti Reini, who comes from Finland, was cast in the role of the sailor.
     Most of the filming was set in Jonesport and nearby Mistake Island, but portions called for settings best provided by the McCurdy Smokehouse facilities in Lubec.
     "I'll know what its name is after I've seen it," says Fae, who expects the movie to be available to the public "in about a year." After the filming is complete, the editing process will begin. Then the finished product will be entered into selected film festivals, where hopefully it receives critical praise. "The festivals won't accept it if it has already been released," says Fae.
     "I just love the area," says Reini, a first‑time visitor to Maine. "The sense of history, you can feel it. I can just imagine how this town looked 100, 200 years ago."
     While most of the actors are professionals, several locals were employed as extras. Bernard and Gerard Bourque and Ray Beal were interviewed on the set, but film company rules prevent the publication of their photograph. "We don't want you showing the costumes," said an assistant director assigned to keep media away from insider secrets. "We don't much like Abby," said Bernard Bourque of the fictional character, "but we love Erica." Gerard added, speaking of Abby, "We just don't trust her."
     Underscoring the complexities of cinematography, one scene was filmed on the beach behind the smokehouse. The actual action took place in less than a minute, but the filming, including numerous reshoots, required nearly two hours. Since the tide was nearing low, the rapidly moving waterline meant frequent adjustments, including moving the camera.
The event was not publicized, says Rachel Rubeor, "because they didn't want a bunch of people hanging around." Rubeor operates Mulholland Marketplace, which includes the McCurdy Smokehouse, where the actual filming was done. Several other properties were rented for the two days to provide makeup and staging space for the crew of about 40 people.

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