Locals enjoy ‘seeing the scenes from all around’ New Milford

By Deborah Rose

Bank Street Theater has been the place to go in recent days. 

It is the venue for two locally-filmed movies, a horror movie, “Founders Day,” and a psychological thriller, “Candlewood.”

“Founders Day” Director Erik Bloomquist will introduce the 7 p.m. screening of the movie Jan. 30 at the Bank Street theater.

The story follows a series of murders by a masked killer in a New England town as it leads up to a mayoral election and a major town celebration.

“I loved seeing the scenes from all around our town,” said resident Jacquie McCloskey.

“It was filmed in the fall, and that’s the perfect time for our Green to be ‘movie ready,’” she said. 

Judy Oston, of New Milford, said she saw the film for the same reason McCloskey did. 

“It was definitely fun to watch the places that you know,” she said.

The movie, written by Newington brothers Erik and Carlson Bloomquist, opened Jan. 19.

“The photography was stunning,” said Valerie Lorimer, chair of the New Milford Film Commission. “Amazing shots and angles of New Milford.”

Scenes were shot at numerous locations in town, including the Village Green, the John Pettibone Community Center, Bank Street, Bank Street Theater, Roger Sherman Town Hall, Lover’s Leap, and private residences.

Many local residents were extras in the film. Among them was Sarah Anderson, who portrayed "Cheryl."

This was Anderson's second time as an extra, having first been in "Mr. Deeds," starring Adam Sandler, which was partially filmed in New Milford, so she had an idea of what it was like being part of the filmmaking process.

"The 'Founders Day' production team communicated the details effectively," she said, adding that days were both "busy" and "entertaining."

The experience was worthwhile, though, she said. "I met so many new and talented people and learned more about the behind the scenes of movie making."

Anderson saw the movie twice on the big screen.

"Seeing myself up there on the big screen for those fleeting moments was definitely amusing," she said.

Lorimer spoke of the “enthusiasm from the community when (it) was being filmed" and how many key sites in town were used for key scenes.

“It was particularly heartwarming to see Pettibone in all its former glory as a school,” she related.

Loime said furniture from one of the town’s schools in operation was used on set, coordinated by former film commission chair Keli Solomon, whose husband, Jeff, played a role in “Founders Day” and “Candlewood,” which had its world premiere at Bank Street Jan. 27.

“Erik and Carson are great at what they do,” Jeff Solomon said of the “Founders Day” writers. “I think they are meticulous.”

Solomon said he appears in two scenes, including one “pivotal” scene, and another with dialogue with Erik.

“They had a character and a scene and knew what I could do,” Solomon said, referring to one particular scene.

He said the Bloomquist brothers knew of his skills through their friendship with the Solomons. 

The actor describes the movie as a “very clever story about politicians and politics” despite the fact it doesn’t “cite parties (but rather) talks about motivations and tries to expose that in a clever way.”

The movie is rated R for “strong bloody violence, language and some sexual references,”  and runs one hour and 46 minutes.

For more information about the movie’s screenings at Bank Street Theater, visit https://www.bankstreettheater.com/



Courtesy of Sarah Anderson/New Milford resident Sarah Anderson, who was an extra in the film "Founders Day," has been to the theater twice to see the film.