ValleyoftheSasquatchFB Two local filmmakers – John Portanova (Writer/Director) and Jeremy Berg (Director of Photography) – have just finished shooting a new feature horror film called “Valley of the Sasquatch.” These two have collaborated before, and are partners with Matt Medisch in a production company called The October People. This is their third film; previous productions include “The Invoking” and “The Device.” Here’s a synopsis of the film:

After losing their home following a devastating loss, a father and son are forced to move to an old family cabin. Neither reacts well to being thrown into this new world. The son’s attempts to relate to his father are complicated when two old friends arrive for a weekend of hunting. This trip into the forest will unearth not only buried feelings of guilt and betrayal, but also a tribe of Sasquatch that are determined to protect their land.
“’Valley of the Sasquatch’ was our biggest production yet, which allowed us to attract talent from all over the country including stars David Saucedo (Paranormal Activity: The Marked Ones) and Bill Oberst Jr. (Abraham Lincoln vs. Zombies),” Portanova told The B-Town Blog.valleysasquatchslate Their first film, the psychological thriller “The Invoking,” has been out on DVD and VOD since February, and came out in Redbox earlier this month. Their second film, the alien abduction story “The Device,” was shot around South Seattle (including locations in Burien) and will be released on home video this winter. On this shoot, they worked with a crew made up primarily of Washington filmmakers, and one of their leads – D’Angelo Midili, also from The Invoking – is also a Washington resident. “We shot the film for four weeks near Easton, WA at Meany Lodge,” Portanova said. “Since it was off season for the ski lodge, we had full run of the place to house cast and crew and used forest locations all around the lodge to shoot 90% of the film. Other scenes were shot in Roslyn, WA.” They wrapped shooting just a few weeks ago, and the film is currently in the early stages of editing. “We aim to have our film festival premiere in early 2015!” Portanova added. If you recognize Berg, it’s because he sometimes bartends at the Scotch & Vine in Des Moines, while his wife Monica works at 913 in Burien. Here’s a story done about the Sasquatch project by KING5’s Evening Magazine: Here’s a trailer for “The Invoking”: [youtube]http://youtu.be/NHeaiOoegas[/youtube] You can keep up with updates on the film via Facebook: facebook.com/valleyofthesasquatch, or Twitter: @sasquatchhorror, and also follow The October People at facebook.com/theoctoberpeople or @October_People.]]>

Since 2007, The B-Town Blog is Burien’s multiple award-winning hyperlocal news/events website dedicated to independent journalism.