HOLLY TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WXYZ) — A mother of four from Holly has turned her small town into a movie set, creating a feature film that premieres this weekend while providing an economic boost to local businesses.
Loretta Bradfield, a Holly resident, wrote the script and produced "Heartbeat of a Drum Horse," a two-hour film starring a rare drum horse named BH Spectacular. The production transformed the village into Hollywood, proving that major studio backing isn't necessary to create a professional film.
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"He has a face for the camera. He is beautiful, he is talented… when we first bought him, I knew there was something really special about him," Bradfield said about the star horse.
The film features 48 actors and includes scenes with barrel racers, mutton busting and drum horses from around the world. Drum horses are a rare breed, making the casting particularly unique.
"It's about breeding, raising baby horses. This movie is a lot about how the family rallied together to really get through a couple really rough times. And it has a lot of action, a lot of comedy and a lot of drama," Bradfield said.
Director Santiago Cirillo, a 15-year film industry veteran who also plays a minor role, praised the community's support for the production.
"Watching and seeing the neighborhood and the people in the community accepting us and helping us, supporting us, they opened the doors for us and especially to tell Loretta's story," Cirillo said.
The production involved 190 children from a local co-op who appeared as extras, creating massive sets with numerous moving parts to coordinate.
Actors Mary Rose Pasek from Chicago and Tristan Welsh from Los Angeles found Holly's charm particularly appealing during filming.
"It's been great. I mean, it's beautiful out here. You're out in the open. I live in a suburban area, so I'm not used to all the trees and woods and everything, and it's been really nice," Pasek said.
Welsh described Holly as feeling "like a movie" and praised the community's hospitality.
"It feels like homey. I'm going to miss the crew, community, the hospitality and I'm just going to miss, you know, the family. Because you always build a family when you show up on set," Welsh said.
The production has provided economic benefits to local businesses, demonstrating how filmmaking can boost small-town economies.
"I'm just some woman who lives in Holly, and I am a mom of four and I have a lot on my plate and somehow, I was able to pull this off," Bradfield said.
Welsh is encouraging others to pursue their dreams with proper support systems.
"Don't be afraid to chase your dreams. And I think a really important aspect of that is surrounding yourself with people who will support you and who will stand beside you while you do it," Welsh said.
The film is now playing in theaters.
To learn more about the movie head to heartbeatofadrumhorse.com.
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