World Premiere of Cassandra Hollis Film in Historic Town of Ripley, Ohio

Atlanta, GA - Atlanta-based filmmaker, Cassandra Hollis, will return to Ripley, Ohio for the world premiere of her film, "Mattie, Johnny and Smooth White Stones: Part II" which was filmed on location in Ripley, Ohio as well as a location in Maysville, Kentucky. In celebration of the Underground Railroad and Juneteenth, the film will have its first ever screening in Ripley on Saturday, June 17 at 7:00pm at Ripley High School located at 1317 South Second Street (US 52).

Maysville native and Underground Railroad historian Jerry Gore participated in the film. He portrays a former slave who testifies in a church scene. Gores' Freedom's Underground Railroad Station Museum was also the backdrop for a scene in the film. Filmmaker Cassandra Hollis said Gore's participation was significant. "Mr. Gore was an invaluable participant in this production," she said. Other Kentuckian's involved in the movie include Florence Dunlap, Peggy Overly, Darius King, David Lemoine and Brian Keith Devine.

Produced by Holy Hill Productions, the film continues the saga of a slave couple whose plan to escape on the Underground Railroad goes awry when Johnny fails to meet Mattie by the tree with the smooth white stones. Consequently, she runs from Georgia to Ohio by herself. "Mattie, Johnny and Smooth White Stones: Part II " continues the story upon her arrival in Ripley, Ohio circa 1856.

Cassandra Hollis, who wrote, produced, directed and stars in Parts I and II said filming on location in Ripley was a tribute to its past. "So many significant moments of the Underground Railroad movement occurred in Ripley, Ohio that it was important for me to pay homage and tribute to the efforts of abolitionists like John Rankin and John Parker in some way in the film. So many runaways escaped to Ripley that it is highly probable that several stories like this occurred there some one hundred and fifty or more years ago."

Part I of "Mattie, Johnny and Smooth White Stones" premiered in 2004 at the CFMi Festival in Los Angeles. Festival Chairperson, Valiant Robinson, said of the film, "It is a must see film. Cassandra gives a riveting performance as Mattie." It was later selected from the festival to be screened among the "Best of CFMi" at the 2004 Black Expo in Los Angeles. The film was also among a select group of short films chosen out of dozens of submissions for the short film competition of the 2004 Gloria Film Festival in Utah.

In 2005, “Mattie, Johnny and Smooth White Stones” was selected by the National Park Service Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Program as an authentic reprensentation and retelling of this part of our nation's history. Today, it is in national distribution to schools and libraries throughout the United States and Canada.
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The public is invited to the event which begins with a reception including refreshments at 7:00pm. Prior to the world premiere of Part II, audiences will get to see Part I of the story. Admission is free and the entire family is invited to attend. A discussion with Filmmaker/Actress Cassandra Hollis and other members of the cast and crew will follow the premiere.


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