‘Broken Trail’ brings film production to downtown Van Buren

Van Buren’s historic Main Street is back to normal after transforming over the weekend into an 1875 Old West town for filming of a new Western from director Johnny Remo and his Los Angeles-based Skiptown Pictures.

Van Buren’s street department hauled in truck loads of dirt to transform the street for filming Sunday (July 14), said Van Buren Mayor Joe Hurst. The production company compensated the city for the work hours of employees and provided the dirt, he said. The street was closed for filming Sunday afternoon, though any businesses that had Sunday hours were open as usual.

Skiptown Pictures used 108 background actors, 20-25 on horses, two wagons and two buggies to help complete the illusion of the western town, said Lesa Crowell, an executive with Skiptown Pictures.

“We took the street back to 1875 for a pivotal scene when Katherine (Rumer Willis) rides into town to look for someone to help her on her journey for revenge,” Crowell said.

The movie, “Broken Trail,” written by Remo and Daniel Backman, follows Katherine, whose life is shattered when her husband is brutally murdered in a crime orchestrated by the nefarious Colonel Davis (Jeff Fahey). On her mission to avenge her husband’s death, Katherine crosses paths with John Scobell, a seasoned African American man (Gbenga Akinnagbe) with a troubled past as a former Pinkerton Agent.

Willis was in Van Buren for filming, along with Eric Nelson, who plays Frank Jessup, one of the Colonel’s henchmen, and James Landry Hebert, also in the film, and crew of 35.

Hurst said filming concluded Sunday night and by Monday afternoon (July 15) all dirt had been removed and Main Street was once again open.

“They came in and asked us if we would shut down the street for a few hours, and we were happy to help. There have been many, especially historic, movies filmed in Van Buren because we have a really special and unique downtown,” Hurst said.

The film’s information was presented to the Van Buren City Council in June, Hurst said.

“We are proud to have movies filmed here. It’s a way for us to support the arts, bring exposure to our downtown, and bring in tourists and the people working on the project who eat in our restaurants, stay in our hotels and shop in our stores,” Hurst said.

Remo also serves as the film’s producer with Lesa Wolfe co-producing. Skiptown Pictures films mostly in Arkansas and Oklahoma. No date has yet been set for when the movie will appear in theaters.

“We are so thankful for the city for all their help,” Crowell said. “Everyone went above and beyond to help us out.”