BUFFALO — A packed house watched with delight as the Western New York-filmed “The American Side” made its big-screen debut Friday night at The North Park Theatre on Hertel Avenue.
Aside from the star of the film and its directors, attendees included other cast members, crew, and the mayors of the three cities the movie was filmed in — Buffalo’s Byron Brown, Niagara Falls’ Paul Dyster and Lockport’s Anne McCaffrey.
Audience members applauded numerous times throughout the film, first when the name of Eden’s own Greg Stuhr appeared in the opening credits, and lastly when the film’s closing credits finished rolling. In between were various applauses and laughter for lines and scenes near and dear to the hometown crowd’s heart.
While Stuhr is listed as the star of the film, it was truly Western New York itself that got the most screen time — from the mighty Niagara Falls to what seemed like the entire city of Buffalo to Lockport’s Erie Canal locks and even the Erie County Fairgrounds in Hamburg.
Jenna Ricker, the director of the film said she fell in love with the area and its people — and it was evident by what she chose to feature on the screen. To a native Buffalonian, each scene is familiar — even if some aren’t immediately recognizable.
“My heart literally overflows with love for this city,” Ricker told the capacity crowd prior to the film running.
“There’s not a person in this room that isn’t responsible for some of what’s on this screen tonight,” Stuhr added. More applause.
Dyster summed it up as thus: “What could be more fitting on Earth day 2016 than a movie that features the natural wonder of Niagara Falls with the mystical wonder of Nikola Tesla.”
The crowd seemed to agree.
“Buffalonians are very proud of their city and their city looks great on film, and it looks great, I think in this film,” Stuhr said. “So hopefully everybody will come out and take a look at it.”
“The American Side” was filmed entirely in Western New York. It features Hollywood stars Matthew Broderick, Robert Forster, Robert Vaughn, Janeane Garofalo and Camilla Belle.
It will play at 4:30, 7, and 10 p.m. today, with select cast and crew in attendance for the 7 p.m. show. It will also run again at 4:30, 7, and 9:30 p.m. Sunday and Monday and various other times throughout next week. It makes its NYC debut on Friday.
