In May 2017, a film crew came to my neck of the woods, Albany, NY, to shoot scenes at Albany International Airport. The movie, at the time, was called “Departures”. Its new title: “Then Came You”.
The cast is star-studded: Asa Butterfield (“Hugo”), Maisie Williams (“Game of Thrones”), Nina Dobrev (“The Vampire Diaries”), Titus Burgess (“Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”), David Koechner (“Anchorman”) and Ken Jeong (“The Hangover”).
I visited the airport on one of the filming days and saw Dobrev in her character’s flight attendant outfit. I also briefly chatted with Williams, whose Skye wears a bold, pinkish gray wig. She was pleased with how filming was going and appreciated the accommodations of the Airport staff.
A year and a half later, “Then Came You” has finally taken off. The romance dramedy about a shy airport worker (Butterfield) who befriends a girl with terminal cancer (Williams) had its World Premiere last Friday, October 12th at the Woodstock Film Festival.
The Fest, which celebrated its 19th year, was held in seven locations over five days. “Then Came You” debuted at the central location, the iconic Woodstock Playhouse. I was one of a few hundred attendees at the screening, along with the film’s director, Peter Hutchings.
The Airport is featured in a high number of scenes throughout “Then Came You”, prominently in the first half. Hutchings told me how thrilled he was with filming at Albany International:
“It was amazing. Normally, it’s a nightmare to film in airports – something you should avoid at all costs. But Doug [Myers, Public Affairs Director] and his staff were incredible. We were originally supposed to be there just one day, but it ended-up being four or five days. It lent such authenticity… and it was an absolute pleasure.”
Williams, who gives the showcase performance in the film, was Hutchings’ first choice for the key role of Skye. “We got so lucky,” Hutchings told everyone at the post-screening Q&A.
“Then Came You” packs a lot of humor into a story about something so dramatic: The Big C. “We treat the heavy subject matter with a light touch. We hope that everyone will be able to find themselves in some way. This movie is [not only] about the dance between life and physical death, but also letting go and moving on.”
Shout! Studios recently acquired distribution rights to “Then Came You”. Look for the film to hit select theaters (hopefully one in the Albany area) and VOD around Valentine’s Day.