Amy Smart, Burt Reynolds and Jack Griffo will star in the inspirational family drama “And Then There Was Light,” Variety has learned exclusively.
Sweet Tomato Films and Character Brigade are producing the movie with Dori Rath and Joseph Restaino producing through Sweet Tomato Films. Castille Landon is directing from her own script.
The story centers on a young girl who loses her eyesight after a traumatic accident. Her parents seek out various options to help her adjust, including enrolling her in a program for seeing-eye dogs, but she is unable to connect until the head trainer of Southeastern Guide Dogs trains a miniature horse to be her companion.
Smart will play the mother of the girl and Reynolds will portray the trainer.
“It’s a really beautiful story about the bonds between family and overcoming adversity as a unit,” Smart said. “I felt a strong emotional connection to this project and I’m so excited to be participating.”
Landon teamed with Rath and Restaino on “Albion: the Enchanted Stallion,” starring John Cleese, Debra Messing, Stephen Dorff, Jennifer Morrison and Daniel Sharman.
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“I feel extremely fortunate to be able to tell this story, shedding light on an experience that nearly 300 million people worldwide have had to go through, but which is rarely portrayed in the media with such accuracy and in such vivid detail,” Landon said.
“And Then There Was Light” is set to lens next month in the Bradenton area in Florida, in conjunction with Southeastern Guide Dogs.
Reynolds received a best supporting actor nomination for “Boogie Nights.” Smart starred in Tyler Perry’s “The Single Moms Club.” Griffo is in the Nickelodeon series “The Thundermans.”
Sweet Tomato Films is an independent film production company of female filmmakers, which recently shifted to producing female-driven, gender-balanced family entertainment. Character Brigade is an independent film company based in Los Angeles and founded by Ryan O’Nan and Restaino.
Reynolds is represented by Innovative Artists and Link. Smart is represented by Gersh and More/Medavoy Management. Griffo is represented by Amsel, Eisenstadt, Frazier & Hinojosa Talent Agency, as well as Alchemy Entertainment.
