CHILLICOTHE, OHIO, July 24th, 2024 — For the past few months, Chillicothe has
been a host to several cast and crew members who have traveled from as far
as Los Angeles, California to be involved in the making of a locally created film
production, Without Her. The movie aims to provide a unique viewing
experience by telling a story of escaping domestic abuse from a dog’s point of
view. The production has recently finished filming and the crew has their sights
set on a community screening event on October 5th at The Majestic Theatre.
Jessica Griesheimer, Director of Without Her has been working alongside
her team of cast & crew throughout the spring to produce a film that shows her
dedication to the emotional turmoil the thought of leaving a dog behind in an
abusive household can bring to victims of domestic violence.
“It’s truly one of the biggest honors to give life to the community’s most
vulnerable. It’s been astounding to see how so many community members have
banded together to breathe life into this story in the hopes that, if we all do our
part, we can bring something positive to those who need it the most,” said
Griesheimer.
In addition to local celebrities like comedian Lori Graves making a cameo
appearance, the movie features the collective work of many local artists,
actors, and crew members. The film and event has also been created &
produced with the help and support of several local businesses and
organizations such as: Ross-Chillicothe Convention & Visitors Bureau, Ohio
Creations, Dear Sadie, Mill City Apparel, Crispie Creme Donut Shop, Shawnee
Lanes Entertainment Center, Paper City Coffee, The Feast Of The Flowering
Moon, The Turner Team – ERA Martin & Associates, GEODE Nature Dome, The
City Of Chillicothe Police Department and Parks & Recreation Department. The
film, now in post-production, is aiming to work alongside local audio engineering
school and recording studio, The RecW, to bring a hometown sound to a
hometown picture.
When asked how the community support has impacted the outcome of
the film project, Griesheimer’s response was, “Without the love and care that
each business, person, and organization has placed into the production, the
quality of the film would be something far less impactful, and their individual
involvements really make the film feel like something everyone who’s been
involved in the process can be proud of for years to come.”
In partnership with Ross County Community Action, the film pledges to
create a unique festival experience that would be among the first of its kind in
Chillicothe. The event is known as The Purple Carpet Event which will be a
fundraising event to support the pet-friendly ROSE House domestic violence
shelter. The fundraiser is not only allowing members of the public to view the
movie in its first ever “paw-miere”, but will also host a variety of activities
including a breed inclusive dog show, a short film festival, live entertainment,
local artisan shops, a cornhole tournament, an ax-throwing tournament, and a
chance to get photos on the red carpet with your dog.
The fundraiser will not only allow Ross County Community Action to raise
money to enhance their pet-friendly facilities but will also provide funding to
maintain the cost associated with attending to the facility’s existing needs to
continue providing the best quality of care for survivors of domestic violence.
”Fundraising proceeds from the event will support Ross County Community
Action’s shelter for domestic violence survivors, The ROSE House, and the Ross
County Community Resource Center, which offers emergency shelter for adults
and children. Both shelters are pet friendly and have capacity to serve up to
100 individuals and families in total each night right here in Ross County.
Together, both shelters have served over 400 individuals already in 2024.” said
Julie Bolen, Executive Director at Ross County Community Action.
When asked why an October event of this nature is expected to hold such an
important impact to the welfare of the community, Bolen replied, “ October is
also domestic violence awareness month which is the perfect time for us to
bring awareness to the community on domestic violence.”
Tickets and registration information are set to be released online soon. You can
find the most up-to-date information about the film and the event on the
Official Without Her Movie page on Facebook or be notified directly by joining
the email list at www.withouthermovie.com.
