An Oil Springs filmmaker premieres his latest film at the Imperial Theatre Friday.
The Ace And The Scout was written and directed by Aaron Huggett and is inspired by Canadian World War I flying ace Billy Bishop.
"It tells the true story of the World War I battle at Orix Trench," said Huggett. "Billy Bishop inspires a couple of young Ontario men to enlist late in the war and they find themselves behind enemy lines, cut off from reinforcement, fighting alongside Anishinaabe sharpshooter Francis Pegahmagabow."
Scenes were filmed across southwestern Ontario.
"We constructed about a half acre of battlefield World War I trenches just outside of Oil Springs, we filmed in Petrolia, we filmed in Kent Bridge, we also were able to film aerial dog-fight scenes in World War I planes in the Kitchener-Waterloo, Hamilton area, in the skies above the country-side there. So, it's been an amazing experience."
Huggett said the project received a lot of local support.
"This is our first film that had a Lambton Creative County grant, we had some of our costumes supplied by the Imperial Theatre and tons of local talent that worked on it, in addition to people from around the province and Quebec as well," said Huggett.
Among the cast, Grand Bend singer Michael VanHevel plays Bishop.
The film is the first feature length movie produced by Electric Motion Pictures.
"Previously, people may have seen some of our other [short] history films: Red Ryan, Black Donnellys and Black Gold. This one is a full length feature, 90 minute film, telling that true history story from World War I."
Tickets for each screening, at 6:30 p.m. and 9 p.m., can be purchased at the box office or ImperialTheatre.net.
After the Sarnia premiere, it will be shown at Petrolia's Victoria Playhouse October 15, and followed by screenings in Forest, Chatham, London, Stratford and Simcoe.
To purchase tickets or get more information about those screenings click here.