When Nick and Cash Cassidy brought their movie ‘Childish Things’ home to Maine last year, they knew they’d found something special. The movie business they’d learned from time in Hollywood asked them to wait their turn, trust the system, and beg acceptance from film distributors if they wanted their movie to be seen. But hosting their own screenings in the community that raised them – and packing the theaters – proved there was a better way. So with their next film, the brothers doubled down on Maine.
Shot on location in Orono, ‘Saving Black Bear’ is a coming-of-age comedy-drama that celebrates the communities that shape us. On-screen, the film tells the tale of a fictionalized Black Bear Cinemas in hard times and the misfit employees who fight to save the independent theater that brought them together. Off-screen, Mainers came together to make this film a reality. In addition to the Cassidy Brothers, who hail from South Portland and Cape Elizabeth, ‘Saving Black Bear’ stars South Portland native Julia Steady and legendary character actor Xander Berkeley, a Cornish resident known for ‘Terminator 2’, ‘Apollo 13’, and ‘The Walking Dead’.
Zach Hussey, the owner of Black Bear Cinemas, offered to let us shoot something in his theater when we screened ‘Childish Things’ with him last year. Community support like that is what makes Maine special and made ‘Saving Black Bear’ possible, says director Nick Cassidy. I’ve seen too many people waste years waiting for permission from Hollywood to succeed in the movie business. We knew there had to be another way, so we took a chance, and we found it here at home, says producer Cash Cassidy.
The film’s release strategy is as unconventional as its production. Rather than seeking a traditional distributor, the Cassidys are premiering the movie locally, starting with a sneak preview at the Vacationland Film Festival in Biddeford on August 23rd. The World Premiere will take place at Black Bear Cinemas in Orono on September 9th, followed by the Portland Premiere at O’Maine Studios on September 13th, sponsored by StreamState. This approach not only bypasses the traditional gatekeepers but also builds a direct connection with audiences, a lesson the brothers learned from their previous experience.
The importance of this release extends beyond the film itself. It represents a growing trend of independent filmmakers leveraging local support and community venues to distribute their work, challenging the dominance of Hollywood studios. By screening in local theaters and engaging directly with audiences, filmmakers like the Cassidys are proving that there is a viable alternative to the traditional distribution model, one that can be more fulfilling and economically sustainable for artists.
The premiere events are expected to draw not only local residents but also film enthusiasts interested in this innovative approach. The choice of Black Bear Cinemas, a real independent theater, underscores the film’s theme of community resilience. The Cassidys’ success in packing theaters for ‘Childish Things’ demonstrated a demand for local stories told by local filmmakers, and ‘Saving Black Bear’ appears poised to build on that momentum.
For more information on additional screenings, visit savingblackbear.com.
