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Carole Mikita reporting The latest independent film aimed at Latter-day Saint audiences is in the final days of shooting in Alpine.
In the same genre as "Singles Ward", now comes "The Best Two Years of My Life."
An American Latter-day Saint missionary attempting to speak Dutch... emphasis on attempting... the story is based on the real-life experiences of this film's writer/director. It started as a play.
Scott Anderson/ Writer/Director/Producer: "IT WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL IN THE EARLY '80'S. WE ACTUALLY WANTED TO MAKE IT INTO A FILM BACK THEN, BUT I THOUGHT WITH THE ADVENT OF THIS MORMON CINEMA THAT'S COME OUT, WE THOUGHT IT'D BE A GOOD TIME TO PUT IT OUT NOW."
And a good time is what the cast is having. The actors believe their collective sense of humor will make "The Best Two Years of My Life" appeal to many movie-goers.
Kirby Heyborne/ "The Best Two Years of My Life": "IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT THE LDS NUANCES. IT'S ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS, IT'S ABOUT PEOPLE TRYING TO LIVE TOGETHER AND GET ALONG AND THE STRUGGLES THAT THEY GO THROUGH."
It's the first full length for the producers, but you might recognize members of the cast from other LDS oriented films -- like "Singles Ward," and "The RM."
They began the project in Holland. Now closing scenes are inside a Utah home. From start to finish, shooting took one month.
This is another independent, low-budget Latter-day Saint film, but the producers say it's not the money you spend, it's the qualilty of the product."
Michael Flynn/ Producer: "YOU CANNOT GO OUT AND SPEND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS MAKING A MOVIE FOR THE LDS CLIENTELE BECAUSE THERE AREN'T ENOUGH PEOPLE THERE TO JUSTIFY THAT KIND OF AN INVESTMENT."
Flynn says audiences are simply looking for a good story, told well. He and his partners believe this film is exactly that.
"The Best Two Years of My Life" will premiere in Utah this September.
