Franklin to screen movie ‘Wesley’

This article features an event that occurred in the past.

From left, Burgess Jenkins and WCU alumnus Keith Harris act out a scene in "Wesley" the movie while then-WCU student Aaron Putnam and WCU faculty member Arledge Armenaki operate the cameras. (Photo by Matthew Skala)

The historical movie “Wesley” that Western Carolina University faculty and students helped make will be shown at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts in Franklin at 2:30 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 13.

In the movie, John Wesley, played by Burgess Jenkins, grows from a young Anglican priest struggling spiritually into a leader of the Methodism movement. Events from Wesley’s life portrayed in the film include a house fire, a near shipwreck, a star-crossed love affair and violent mobs.

Arledge Armenaki, WCU associate professor of cinematography, was the director of photography for the Foundery Pictures film, and 16 Western Carolina students worked as cast or crew. In addition, Peter Savage, visiting lecturer of theater, played the man betrothed to the woman Wesley loves, and Terry Nienhuis, retired professor of English, played gardener James Locke.

“A lot of people from around the region responded very well to the screening at WCU,” said Armenaki. “I thought it would be wonderful for the film to play at the Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts so the community can see the great things we are capable of.”

Tickets are $10 and are on sale online at www.greatmountainmusic.com. For more information about “Wesley,” go to www.wesleythemovie.com or an article about WCU’s work with the movie. To learn more about WCU’s Motion Picture and Television Production Program, contact program director Jack Sholder by phone at (828) 227-2324.