Rachel Hendrix, a University of Montevallo graduate from Dothan, starred in "October Baby," which was filmed in Birmingham, Mobile and on Dauphin Island. "October Baby," a feature film shot entirely in Alabama, has been selling briskly on DVD since it debuted last month at No. 1 on the Soundscan Christian Video Chart.
The movie, filmed mostly in Birmingham, Mobile and on Dauphin Island, was released Sept. 11 on DVD and debuted at No. 1 on the weekly Soundscan ranking Sept. 19. It was No. 1 again the following week, but dropped to No. 2 this week, said Laurie Chimento, a marketing executive at Provident Films, which handled Christian bookstore distibution.
"We're very excited" at the movie's DVD performance, she said.
Made with a production budget of about $800,000, "October Baby" grossed $5,357,328 at the box office, according to the web site www.boxofficemojo.com.
After a brief opening to 14 theaters in October 2011, the film got backing from Provident Films and Samuel Goldwyn Films for a national release in March. Playing on only 390 screens, it finished in the top 10, at No. 8, on the same weekend "The Hunger Games" opened at No. 1 playing on 4,137 screens.
"October Baby" addresses abortion, forgiveness and redemption by focusing on the personal story of a college student. A key scene was shot in St. Paul's Cathedral in Birmingham.
Jon Erwin, a producer, director and writer on the film, said the movie has been popular worldwide. "It's now all over the world," Erwin said. "It's been translated into Spanish and other languages."
The star of the movie, University of Montevallo graduate Rachel Hendrix, is in South Africa working on her second feature film, "The Perfect Wave," and heard about a premiere of "October Baby" there promoted by a radio station. She showed up and was turned away from the crowded theater, until she explained she was the actress in the lead role, Erwin said.
The "October Baby" DVD was sold with display stands at Walmarts across the country, Erwin said.
"What keeps me going is hearing from people who have watched the film," Erwin said. "The film continues to move people."
Birmingham-based producers Jon and Andy Erwin say they hope to make a movie a year, filming in Alabama.