The made-in-Birmingham film "Lifted" had its Alabama premiere Saturday at this weekend's 12th annual
, and as the closing credits rolled, the hometown crowd gave the movie an enthusiastic response. The filmmakers were pretty pleased, too.
"When you're in the middle of it, you don't always see it with the same eyes (as an audience), so it's important to see it with people who don't know anything about it," Birmingham's Hugh Hunter, who produced the film with his brother Alan Hunter, said.
"I think people got into the story, and that's its strong suit -- the fact that it has a real, strong message."
Shot in and around Birmingham late last summer, "Lifted" is a coming-of-age story about a small-town Alabama boy who enters an "American Idol"-like singing contest to honor his father, a Marine who is redeployed to Afghanistan.
Uriah Shelton, a native of Magnolia Springs in Baldwin County, plays the teenage boy, and Dash Mihok, a New York City native, stars as his father.
Mihok, though, is no stranger to Birmingham, having played the lead role as a tormented boxer in the Academy Award-nominated short film "Johnny Flynton," which he shot here eight years ago.
Like "Lifted," that film also was produced by the Hunter brothers and directed by German-born filmmaker Lexi Alexander.
Alan Hunter, the former MTV veejay, also appears in the film as the host of the "Alabama Teen Starquest" talent search, which takes place at the Alys Stephens Center.
"American Idol" winner Ruben Studdard, who was unable to attend Saturday's screening, plays the Baptist minister who encourages Shelton's character to enter the competition.
The "Lifted" cast includes Birmingham stage actors Jonathan Fuller and Jennifer Price and musician Todd Simpson. Several members of the behind-the-camera crew are from Birmingham, as well.
Fuller, who appeared in several smaller-budget films and videos before moving back to Birmingham about nine years ago, said he was proud to make this one in his hometown.
"I thought the Hunter brothers and Lexi really pulled it together," Fuller said. "Even though this was what would be termed a low-budget SAG (Screen Actors Guild) film, the quality of it was impressive."
Director of photography David Brower, also of Birmingham, said the filmmakers felt they had something special, and the audience reaction confirmed it.
"When we were making it, I remember watching the monitor and being in tears, so I thought we were onto something then," Brower said.
For a small picture with a mostly unknown cast, the film will need good word of mouth to find a wider audience, Alan Hunter said.
Because of its spiritual theme, the filmmakers plan to distribute it through churches before opening it in conventional theaters, he added.
"We are going to concentrate on a grass-roots effort," he said. "Small movies have to find their way."
The Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival, which opened Friday night, ends today with a full lineup of films at eight venues throughout downtown Birmingham.