Amy Smart, Burt Reynolds To Film In Bradenton

BRADENTON, FL — It will be lights, camera, action in Manatee County next week when filming begins on “And Then There Was Light.”

Production on the film, written and directed by Bradenton’s own Castille Landon, is expected to begin April 20. Set mainly in Manatee County, the film will feature the Southeastern Guide Dogs school where 80-year-old Burt Reynolds will play Charlie, the head trainer.

The film tells the story of Bailey Andrews, “a young girl who defines herself by her equestrian abilities,” according to IMDb.com. Bailey, played by Avery Arendes, “struggles as she loses her eyesight after a traumatic accident.” Hoping to help their daughter, Bailey’s parents take her to Southeastern Guide Dogs where Charlie decides to train a miniature horse, Apple, to be her companion.

Amy Smart of “Justified” fame will play Baily’s mother, Caroline Andrews. Jack Griffo of “The Thundermans” has also been cast as Sebastian. Landon is cast in the role of Ari, according to IMDb.

Filming is set to begin April 20. The film is due out some time in 2017.

Southeastern Guide Dogs is a nonprofit organization dedicated to raising and training guide dogs, primarily to serve as eyes for the blind and companions for veterans. The Palmetto-based organization was founded in 1982 and places more than 100 dogs each year into service, its website states.

"We employ the latest in canine development and behavior research to create and nurture partnerships between visually impaired individuals and extraordinary guide dogs," the website explains. The nonprofit offers its services free of charge and accepts no government funding.

Photo by Ed Kavishe, FashionWirePress (Wikipedia:Contact us/Photo submission) [CC BY 1.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/1.0)], via Wikimedia Commons

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