Actor Bruce Campbell will premiere his latest feature film, “Ernie and Emma,” on Valentine’s Day in Medford. The screening at the Holly Theatre has already sold out.
Campbell and producer Ida Gearon filmed the project in Southern Oregon, where they live, choosing to debut it locally rather than in Los Angeles.
“We live here, and we love it,” Gearon said.
The film follows Ernie Tyler, a pear salesman who travels across Southern Oregon after his wife’s death, carrying her ashes and following letters she left behind to help him navigate grief.
Campbell wrote the script, calling it an age-appropriate role and a story that confronts loss with warmth.
“Grief, we got to deal with it,” Campbell said. “It can be beautiful.”
The couple self-funded the project, allowing them to work independently of studio oversight. Gearon said that independence offers creative control.
“Success represents freedom, which means we can work outside the system,” she said.
Filming took place at recognizable Southern Oregon locations, including the Bigfoot Trap, Upper and Lower Table Rock, the Rogue River and Applegate Lake. Campbell said the project aims to show that films can be made locally without leaving the region.
Proceeds from the premiere will benefit the Ashland Independent Film Festival.
Guests
- Bruce Campbell
- Ida Gearon
