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Date: 1/15/2016
AGAWAM – A filmmaker is bringing his work home to his native Western Massachusetts.
Scott Baldyga, originally of West Springfield, will premiere his independent film, “Misled,” at the Agawam Cinemas on Jan. 21. “Misled” is Baldyga’s first take at directing a feature film.
“Misled” follows the struggle of a man trying to hold his life together in Detroit and is based on the life of Jonathon Stanley, who co-wrote and produced the movie.
Though the movie deals with dark themes, like drugs in “gritty neighborhoods,” Baldyga said everyone can relate to “Misled.”
“At its core, the film is about family and sacrifice and how far you would go to sacrifice for your family members,” he said. “I guess if they’re friends or family or strangers, I guess they sort of see it and can related to the situations among the family members and that leads to people hopefully feeling they’re not alone in personal problems.”
“Misled” has been featured at the Gasparilla International Film Festival in Tampa, FL, and the Temecula Valley International Film and Music Festival in Temecula, CA. The screening at the Agawam Cinemas will be the first time “Misled” has played in New England.
While Baldyga is happy to be spreading the film even further, the idea for a showing in Agawam started from a more personal place. Rather than bring Baldyga’s mother, who is no longer able to travel, to the film, he and his sister Sharon to bring the movie to their mother. The premiere is set for the day before her birthday.
“I have a lot of friends and family in the area and wanted to share with them what occupied a year and a half of my life and with anyone else who is interested in filmmaking,” Baldyga said.
The process of creating the film, he said, was not easy. He and his crew were forced out of locations for scenes at the last minute and actors fell through, but the sleepless nights were worth it.
“It was amazing. I don’t even know how to describe it … It was the most rewarding professional experience I have ever had,” Baldyga said. “It was overwhelming in a good way. I would be sitting in the rain in a tough neighborhood in Detroit during lunch, axing pages from the script because we didn’t have time to film it.”
The premiere at the Agawam Cinemas will also feature time for a question and answer session with Baldyga. As someone from Western Massachusetts who worked has spent 20 years in Los Angeles, he said he hopes he can provide some industry insight for people interested in filmmaking.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the movie begins at 7 p.m. Guests are invited to an after party at Kaptain Jimmy’s. “Misled” is rated “R,” and tickets can be purchased at http://misled.brownpapertickets.com or at the Agawam Cinemas box office.