Travis Carlson listens to members of the production team on ‘Mother’s Day.’ The film, shot locally, will be shown today at the Reg Lenna Center for the Arts.
Photo by Cole Bielecki

GERRY — “Mother’s Day,” the locally-produced feature film set in Gerry, will screen at the Reg Lenna Center for the Arts at 7 p.m. today.

After its 2021 premiere in Buffalo, New York the two-hour film went on to win, “Best of the Festival,” and, “Best Actress,” at the Queens World Film Festival in New York City. The film aims at reducing the stigma surrounding mental health.

“It’s based on a true story,” said local writer and director Travis Carlson. “The story of my mother and I and a slice of our lives in Gerry just a few years ago.” Carlson and his production company, Pan-American Film Division, chose to tell this story because they felt mental health portrayals in film can be rare and unrealistic. “Every decision was based upon, how honestly can we depict this event?”

“Mother’s Day” filmed in the family homes and local properties, including Heritage Village, where the true events took place.

“The community support meant everything, opening their doors, allowing us to fly drones in their skies, especially during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic,” the Carlson remembers.

After graduating from Cassadaga Valley Central School and SUNY Buffalo State for film Carlson went on to produce video content for the Buffalo Bills and Buffalo Sabres, but sought to return to his hometown to tell his first feature film.

“It’s not only set in town, but its about characters who really lived and breathed here, with the rodeo and local jobs and attitudes about the world. It’s not everyday that characters from Chautauqua County are on the big screen,” Carlson said. “All of the supporting character names are based on the local street names.”

“Mother’s Day,” differs from Carlson’s childhood films shot in Gerry in that it was photographed in a continuous, uninterrupted shot. The actors, Lisa Ludwig and Michael Charles Wagner, as well as a several extras from Chautauqua Country, performed as if on a live stage without any breaks for the duration of each shooting day. The film was shot over six days in August 2020.

Since then, Carlson and Pan-American Film Division created a short film, “Blind Spot,” which won “Second Best Film,” at Filmapalooza in Washington, D.C. This international competition allows it’s top 10 films, including “Blind Spot,” to screen as a part of the Cannes Film Festival Short Film Corner this May.

“We are thrilled to be recognized with such an honor and to be permitted to attend such a prestigious festival,” commented Carlson. This will mark the third time he and Pan-American Film Division have been invited to Cannes, France after the short films, “Ride of Your Life,” and “To Have and to Hold,” won similar competitions.

These projects and “Mother’s Day” will be available to stream or purchase online at PanAmericanFilms.com.

Tickets are still available for today’s screening of “Mother’s Day” at the Reg Lenna Center for the Arts box office or at RegLenna.com.