Daddy's Christmas Angel

Monday, November 9, 2015

"Ithaca" Is a Movie That Features Petersburg

Meg Ryan is one of my favorite actresses. Because of her part in "Sleepless in Seattle", I modeled the heroine of my novel, Daddy's Christmas Angel, after her. Now I am excited to know that "Ithaca", the movie she directed and plays the lead in, will soon be released.

Filmed in Petersburg during the summer of 2014, places like the Globe Department Store and Brickhouse Run Restaurant, as well as Sycamore Street are recognizable in the film, according to reports. After being connected to Petersburg for many years through Petersburg Regional Arts Center, and now The Ward Center for Contemporary Art, it will be exciting to see our street and a restaurant that we really like as part of the movie.

"Courthouse in Old Towne Petersburg" ©Mary Montague Sikes
An article by Shelby Mertens of the Petersburg Progress-Index describes Ryan's feelings as a mother that influenced the telling of this story that is set in the 1940s. Ryan found Petersburg to be an ideal setting for the story. The film crew praised the city for embracing them and allowing streets to be blocked off during the production.

Because of the historic ambiance of Old Towne Petersburg, the area is poised to become the setting of more movies in the future. Like other Virginia towns and cities, memories of the past still hang in the air and that is a factor to attract the motion picture companies.

***Please visit my new art blog, "The Artful Way".

5 comments:

Alex J. Cavanaugh said...

That's very cool it was filmed there. All the more reason for you to see it.

Hilary Melton-Butcher said...

Hi Monti - it's great Petersburg add to the film crew's feel for the town .. and thus they'll be welcomed back .. extra town income too. Wonderful for you to see the film ... enjoy it when it appears and I'll keep a look out for it .. cheers Hilary

L. Diane Wolfe said...

It's a beautiful area. A wonderful place to make a movie. I wonder how many have been made there?

Birgit said...

I had no idea she was directing a movie-It sounds good from the little you said and this town looks ideal as a setting.

Notes Along the Way with Mary Montague Sikes said...

Thanks, Alex, for commenting. It's a perfect place to film a movie set in the past.

Hilary, Petersburg is the kind of town you would enjoy!

Diane, the Lincoln movie was made there about three years ago.

Birgit, I was surprised as well to realize she was directing a movie. Sorry I didn't get to see her there!