Locally shot movie makes world premiere By Barry Courter Associate Features Editor It was Cleve Nettle's moment, but Chattanooga stole the show Thursday as "All Over Again," a film that was shot on location here in October, made its world premiere at Regal Cinemas Hamilton Place 10-17 last week. Among the VIPs at the screening gala were locals who worked on or helped sponsor the film and movie types from Los Angeles and New York, as well as representatives from the Tennessee Film, Entertainment and Music Commission from Nashville. They filled two theaters for the private screening on Thursday evening. A reception was held following outside in the parking lot. "All Over Again" was produced independently and does not have a distributor at this point. Negotiations are underway, however, according to the film's co-producer Darren Moorman. Plans are to show the film here in the fall, he said. Prior to the screening, the principals (excluding stars John Amos and Craig T. Nelson who both began shooting TV series last week) arrived in two limousines and were awash in camera flashes as they strolled across a red carpet leading into the theater. Inside, they were greeted with hugs from friends and supporters and applause from fans. Mr. Nettles, who wrote, directed and co-produced the film, drew the biggest applause as he introduced his film by saying, "I've waited 16 years to say this, 'I hope you enjoy my movie'. " That was preceded by a prayer of thanks, just one of many clues that this was a Hollywood-style event taking place in Chattanooga. The city was heavily used as the backdrop for the film, with such landmarks as the International Towing & Recovery Museum, Engel Stadium, Central High School and the Tennessee Aquarium being featured, but the connections to the city went well beyond providing scenery. Mr. Nettles attended school at Tennessee Temple University while Mr. Moorman taught at McCallie School. On the acting side, Chris Roy grew up here and Emilie Jacobs used to drive up from Atlanta to play high school tennis matches here. The parents of Monique Edwards, who stars in the film, lived here for awhile and dozens of locals were used in bit roles and as extras or helped in other ways. "Chattanooga was always to be the location for this movie," Mr. Moorman said earlier in the day during an interview with the Chattanooga Times and Free Press that included lead actor Ean Mering, Ms. Jacobs and Ms. Edwards. "Cleve wrote it that way." There were some locations used in the film that could only have been shot here, he said. "My character (Denela) works in the towing museum," Ms. Jacobs added. "That wouldn't work anywhere else. How many towing museums are there?" The city earned glowing marks as both a location for a movie and for its hospitality. "We were in Hixson shooting," Mr. Moorman said, "and we lost our caterer for some reason and all these neighborhood people rolled their gas grills down the street and cooked us hamburgers, salmon steaks and salads. It was the best meal of the shoot." The city, because of its mix of mountains, river, forests and a city that features old and new architecture, offers plenty of opportunity for filmmakers, Mr. Moorman said, drawing a smile from Stephanie Conner, executive director of the Tennessee Film, Entertainment and Film Commission. "This is very exciting for the whole state. People in Nashville and West Tennessee are excited about this. We want people in New York and Hollywood to see what we have to offer," she said. "It is a beautiful place that looks wonderful on film," Ms. Jacobs said. "All Over Again" is the story of Z.T. (Mering), a high school senior with promise on the baseball diamond and in the classroom. He learns in quick fashion that his father, played by Craig T. Nelson, has lost his college money through bad investments, and that an elderly drunk (Robert Loggia) is actually himself 50 years in the future returned to prevent him from throwing his life away. It is targeted to the junior high and high school audiences. Both Ms. Edwards and Ms. Jacobs agree the film should appeal to the Harry Potter fans out there. "I'm reading it right now. I think this movie is very Harry Potter with magic, mystery and the human side, where people have faults, but they keep plugging away," Ms. Edwards said. "It's a very hopeful movie."