(Okoboji)– Another film premier is coming to the Iowa Great Lakes.
Even though the motion picture “16 To Life” wasn’t shot locally, it has a strong connection to the Iowa Great Lakes in that it’s director, Becky Smith, is an Okoboji native.
Smith says the fact she’s now a director is kind of a fluke, saying she had no such ambition as a child growing up. As a matter of fact, she says she went to very few movies as a child, recalling drive-in theatres in Milford and Spirit Lake as she was growing up.
Smith says her interest in still photography, theatre and writing allowed her later to get involved as a film director.
Prior to her career in directing motion pictures, Smith was best known for directing some popular television shows, including “Queer Eye For The Straight Guy” for which she was nominated for an Emmy Award. She was also involved in a Disney production titled “Bug Juice” as well as productions for MTV and MTV2 and several documentaries. She says “16 To Life” is her first feature film.
The film is based on a young 16-year-old girl and some of her trivilations of growing up in a small Iowa town.
The film was shot entirely on location in the McGregor, Iowa area in the fall of 2007.
As a way to say “thank you” to her local supporters, Smith says they’ll be holding a premier showing of the film at 7:30 p.m. September 5th at the Pearson Lakes Art Center. Tickets are five dollars each and available by contacting the PLAC Box Office.
Smith says several cast and crew members will be in attendance for the local screening, including the lead, Hallee Hirsh, who was recently featured in the final episode of ER.
