(Photo Credit: Banished Bird Films)

By Nathaniel Leigh

Movie Premiere

Locally produced film ‘Tough Love’ premieres at NWP June 18

Jun 18, 2025 | 1:29 PM

A full-length movie made by Peace Region residents has its premiere tonight (Wednesday, June 18).

Banished Bird Film’s Tough Love follows a brother and sister dealing with the loss of their parents, when criminals break in to look for treasure supposedly hidden on their property.

Leanne Bausman, who served as a producer and actor in the film, says the project was the result of a collaboration between her and writer director Sonja Jarrett, who she met through the Peace Region Independent Media Arts Association.

“It stared out with just Sonja and I being like ‘We could do this pretty easily!’” Bausman says. “Not with a budget, but we could make it happen. It could be a stepping stone. And so, we had a bit of a pillar, it was fun, collaboration and learning. A big part of this movie was learning, we kind of just figured it out as we went.”

The movie was filmed in the Peace Region on a micro budget of around $22,000, with a cast and crew made up of almost entirely of locals, including members of the Grande Prairie Live Theatre Community. It also features a score by local musician Adam Prezio.

(Photo Credit: Leanne Bausman)

“It felt almost like there wasn’t enough issues!” says Bausman. “We were going to make the movie no matter what. Whether we had the funding, whether anything came through, everyone was so willing to help and volunteer and be supportive. It was fantastic, it was truly wonderful.”

Bausman sung the praises of the actors Rogan Coffey and Ryleigh Becklur, who played the lead siblings.

“Ryleigh is a little bit younger, and she brought so much enthusiasm as well as spirt to the set,” she says. “Rogan was extremely dedicated. Anytime we were like ‘Hey can we make this work? Are you comfortable doing this?’ He was like ‘Not only am I comfortable, I could go a hundred times further!’”

The movie will have its official premiere at the Douglas J. Cardinal Performing Arts Centre at Northwestern Polytechnic Wednesday night, with plans to hit the festival circuit in the near future.

Doors open for the premiere at 7:00 p.m. Show time is 7:30, followed by a Q&A with the cast and crew.