Aaaaaand ACTION!

The city of Malta set itself up for a short time of glory and fame last week as a film crew arrived to shoot a film within the community. Screenwriter and director, Doug Cunningham of Utah, brought five or six loads of people, a load of filming equipment, and hit the ground a running after a 14-hour drive from Utah. They arrived on Monday, started shooting and wrapped up on Friday.

Cunningham had successfully applied for a grant through the Big Sky Short Film application process. The grant funding was awarded to films that are filmed in towns other than the six largest cities in Montana. Cunningham stated that he included the points that made strong impressions on him when selecting Malta, such as the vastness and hospitality. The open skies and small-town atmosphere were a selling point, as well.

The movie, "Daughter of the Plains" is set in modern day. The actress and star in the movie is Lindsey Hawkes, who brings zest and energy to the screen. She has won three awards at film festivals and is anxiously headed home to see if she might win a fourth, which we learned she did receive. She has been acting for about eight years and it is only a part-time venture in her life. She owns a business, "Pose & Shoot" that works with upcoming models and actresses.

Hawkes said she enjoyed the location. "I LOVED being here for the 9/11 tribute over the Villa - I made a video of one of the songs with the flag waving!" She had never experienced such a tribute before.

In her spare time, Hawkes is a wife, mother of three, soccer mom and she and her husband run an Airbnb.

Cunningham and Hawkes have worked together on several other productions and have plans for more in the future.

"Daughter of the Plains" is the story of Alison Fox, a world-famous actress who returns to her rural hometown in an attempt to reconnect with the son she abandoned for fame twenty years ago. Upon her return, she meets people who help her reconcile and revitalize what was part of her past to move forward into her future.

She makes amends. She makes new friends. She deals with the emotions she experienced twenty years ago that came to the surface and in order for her to move forward, she had to step into her past. Fox mends the happenings and actions of her choices and moves forward, regenerated and feeling like a new person.

"Lindsey's performance made this film," said Cunningham. "She is on her way up!"

Hawkes chimed in, "We are going up together and it's fantastic!"

Businesses around town were featured in the making of the movie, including the Scandia Lutheran Church, the Maltana Motel, the Phillips County Hospital, the Hitching Post, the Villa Theatre and the Great Plains Dinosaur Museum. Several places were also filmed for backdrops in the movie, including St. Mary's Catholic Church.

One of the biggest selling points on filming in a smaller town is to be able to utilize local individuals in the shooting of the movie. This project will include locals as "extras" including Tonya Blessing, Julie Moore, Emily Schiffbauer, Karl Johnson, Karen Salsbery, Season Slade, Kimber Slade, Avery Sorenson, Maebel Schiffbauer, Pierre Bibbs, Issac Helms and Kari Mord.

Entering their acting career were Brianna Sims and Matt Sims, (who Cunningham said was conned into being in it by his daughter) and Ms. Sabra Sims. In the movie Brianna, plays a waitress and Sabra had a speaking part. The family that acts together, plays together, stays together.

The extras were accommodating and patient. When they were told to show up at 3 p.m. and didn't get done until 11 p.m., it pleased the entire Utah crew to see the dedication and willingness.

The crew was pleased all the way around, they only encountered a couple bee stings, and did not have any challenges from the local mosquito squad.

Lindsey said, "One of the crew got pulled over by the law, they didn't know how to drive the rental car, but wasn't issued a ticket."

Cunningham remarked, "The weather gave us some challenges - with the smoke - but it added to the scenes, also."

The two said they met on Instagram...he was into storytelling and he said her mind works fast. "It's a great partnership and we're looking forward to more adventures."

The filming local will give recognition to the local businesses, and it is hoped there will be sponsorship opportunities as a result of the venture. Cunningham stressed his appreciation to Carly Bishop at Northwest Realty, Jenifer Anderson and the Porch House Airbnb, and Anne Boothe at the Great Plains Dinosaur Museum. He is grateful to Fr. Felix Nayak, and Kari Rae Miller at the Villa Theatre, and it is planned to return to Malta next spring when the movie makes it debut with a reception at the GPDM.

Cunningham said he will be applying for another grant on the next grant cycle and he hopes to return to Malta at a point, hopefully, for another screening opportunity.

"Everyone here has been fantastic...I would like to take them all back to Utah with me!" As far as how he felt things went, Cunningham said he would give the encounter a very high rating.

"Malta was very welcoming!"