Movie digs into personal story with Peachland as a backdrop
A new movie that tells the story of an Okanagan reporter accused of child pornography will premiere later this month on Vimeo and iTunes.
Ash, by Kelowna filmmaker Andrew Huculiak, has won awards at the Vancouver International Film Festival, the Woodstock Film Festival, and the Los Cabos International Film Festival.
“This story, centred around my childhood friend’s father and set in my hometown, was one that I was in a unique position to tell. I was close to this family and witnessed a community swiftly turn on one of its own, a man publicly shamed and saw true love prevail,” Huculiak said in a release.
“It’s not an easy film, but a film like this can’t be easy,” he said.
The movie is based on the story of Dave Preston, who was working as a reporter in Peachland when he was charged with child pornography offences in 2013.
Three years later, the charges were dropped when Preston signed a peace bond, which does not include an admission of guilt.
Preston’s character, Stan Hurst, is played by Tim Guinee, who has been in TV series such as Homeland and Elementary.
Hurst is reporting on wildfires and hoping to make a move to larger publications when he is charged.
Hurst’s wife, played by Chelah Horsdal, is shocked when the charges are laid, but sticks with him as he struggles to salvage his reputation.
The movie was filmed in and around Peachland in 2016 and 2017, and includes footage of wildfires then burning in the region.
Distributed by Game Theory Films, Ash will be released on Vimeo on Demand on July 24, and on iTunes on July 28.