
Cast and crew of “Bitter Souls” were filming a scene at Ballyhoo Ice Cream and Candy Store, West Pittston, on Tuesday. The movie stars Avaryana Rose, Michael Hargrove, and Destiny Leilani Brown. The production has been shot over the last few weeks at Lackawanna and Luzerne Counties. Expect to see the movie screen near Halloween later this year.
Tony Callaio | For Sunday Dispatch
WEST PITTSTON – A local production company, Cannon Fire Productions, led by film producer, director and writer Robert Savakinus, teamed up with a Florida-based movie production company, Show Town American Pictures, to film the movie “Bitter Souls” in Northeastern PA.
Filmed in both Lackawanna and Luzerne counties, “Bitter Souls,” a voodoo revenge movie, is centered on a young woman (Avaryana Rose), who perishes at the hands of a few young men and a voodoo priest gets involved and rives the young lady only to revenge her death.
On Tuesday, June 18, as the film crew was a few days of wrapping up production, a scene was shot at Ballyhoo Ice Cream & Candy store on Luzerne Avenue.
“We got Show Town American Pictures to come here to produce this picture in our area because of what we have to offer in our area,” Savakinus said. “It’s a Florida company coming here to Northeastern PA to make a voodoo movie in Northeastern PA, not in Florida.”
Savakinus was a producer for Show Town American Pictures two years ago on another project and when “Bitter Souls” came up in conversation, Savakinus convinced the Florida team to shoot here in NEPA.
“We talked back and forth about our resources and local talent, in addition to our crew members, we have good people here, we have great locations, we can make a movie here,” Savakinus said. “So this movie is all being filmed in Lackawanna County and Luzerne County.”
All totaled, the film was shot over a two-week period, which Savakinus said is a fairly normal period of time to shoot a movie such as “Bitter Souls.”
Savakinus said once the movie wraps up, post-production could take a few months and hope to screen the movie moving into Halloween season this coming fall.
“There is a potential that we can possibly see it leading to the Halloween season this year, but it all depends on production and post-production,” Savakinus admitted. “If we can’t get it done for this year, we’ll get it ready for next year.”
According to Savakinus, the Circle Drive-in at Dickson City, the Moon-Lite Drive-in at West Wyoming, and the Ritz Theater, Scranton, are all interested in screening the movie once completed.
Savakinus is proud of the fact NEPA has the skill level and talent to produce any film and is particularly proud when production companies choose this area for production.
“We have so many great local attractions, we have such great local talent, and I think more and more film makers will realize that from outside of the area which is why we want to get them to come here to make more films,” Savakinus declared. “Our local talent always has to go out of town to make movies or film projects or video projects and we have a chance to make it locally – a lot of projects.”
Savakinus said through his partnership with a Los Angeles-based production company, another film project might be heading to NEPA in 2025.
It is Savakinus’ wish for PA state government to recognize NEPA for film production and begin to funnel money to NEPA instead of Philadelphia and Pittsburg.
“We need to make more stuff locally, and we need convince the state to say let’s fund a little bit more to smaller towns and smaller areas,” Savakinus said.
The female lead of “Bitter Souls,” 19-year-old Avaryana Rose, who has approximately 30 movie productions under her belt, said “Bitter Souls” lead was written with her in mind from co-writer Ed McKeever.
“I auditioned for Ed from Show Town American Pictures for another project and I actually didn’t get the role,” Rose said. “But things worked out for the better because he actually remembered me and kept me in mind and wrote this whole script around me and here I am.”
Rose said she loves acting and plans on making it a career. Her next project is actually wrapping up the last movie she was involved with entitled, “Odyssey: The Possession,” which is also slated for 2024 Halloween.
As for her time in Lackawanna and Luzerne counties, she’s enjoyed her time here.
“I love it here,” Rose said on her 12-day stay in NEPA. “I love it her, but the only thing calling me home are my cats.”