Over the past month, a feature film called Sheepwell was partly filmed in Troy, on the campus of Troy University. 

Sheepwell is produced by Lauren Harris’ Pathway Pictures and the screenplay was written by Danielle De Matteo of SheNYC Arts. The film is based on the broadway play of the same name, written by Elba native Margaret Caterisano.

“SheNYC works mostly in theater and produced the play version of Sheepwell in 2022 off broadway,” De Matteo said. 

Caterisano attended Troy University and set much of the play in Troy, which led to the decision to film right here in Troy, as well as in New Brockton.

“She spent a lot of time here and set the play in Troy, so when we decided to adapt the play into the movie, we thought it would be the best place to tell the story where it takes place in the play,” De Matteo said. “It was such a great experience. The people of Troy, especially those that work at Troy University, and the people in New Brockton were so welcoming and lovely and excited to be a part of it.

“There are a lot of locals that you will see as extras in the background to the movie. It really felt like a community came together to make this project, which was so wonderful.” 

De Matteo described the film as a “dark comedy” about a small town in Alabama that is under a missing person’s search. The movie tells the story of how the person, a professor at the town’s local college, went missing and the two people that found him and how their stories intertwine. 

The movie stars Connor Paola, who played Eric van der Woodsen in the popular television drama Gossip Girl along with Michole Briana White and Alix Lapri. Lapri starred in Starz’ popular crime thriller Power and Power Book II: Ghost, which were both produced by rapper/actor 50 Cent. Kim Caicedo directed the film. White has starred in a number of movies and television shows, including currently starring in 50 Cent’s crime drama BMF on Starz.
Harris and De Matteo said that Sheepwell will be submitted to major film festivals later this year in hopes for a 2026 release to the public. 

“We cannot wait for it come out now that we’ve wrapped shooting and are able to look at all the footage we gathered over the last three weeks,” De Matteo said. “It really feels like we captured the story and the locations and we’re so excited to piece it all together and or it to come out hopefully very soon.”