“Albany Road” shines at Tallgrass Film Festival, celebrating a decade-long journey to the big screen

WICHITA, Kan. (KAKE) - Independent film lovers have many options to choose from this week as the Tallgrass Film Festival continues.  

Albany Road is just one of many films on the big screen. 

"So there's the road trip element of Thelma and Louise, there is the tugging at the heartstrings element of Terms of Endearment and there is a snowstorm so a lot of inspiration was drawn from Fargo,"  said writer and director Christine Swanson.   

Swanson said she and her husband Michael spent 10 years shopping for the film.  Through their own financial backing, it finally hit big screens in several states.  

The film was shot in 23 days and has already won five Best Feature Film awards across the country.  

"First we won a Golden Thumb Award at Roger Ebertfest,"  added Swanson.  

Excited to be in Wichita for the first time, Michael said, "It's a wonderful opportunity to share our work, to share our movie with audiences here locally." He also said it is a huge contribution to the local economy.  

"The dry cleaner benefits, the pizza parlor owner benefits, hotels, uber, taxi services, the barber, the hairstylist and so it is a direct economic impact,"  added Michael.     

Albany Road is showing on Saturday at 8 p.m. at the Orpheum Theatre. If you miss it, you can catch it at select AMC theaters on November 15.   

The Tallgrass Film Festival started on October 24 and will continue through October 27.