Monticello Native’s Movie Due Out Oct. 19

When Joe Pesci stepped out of his car on the Monticello Square 26 years ago for the filming of My Cousin Vinny, it ignited a fire in Matt Chastain that was going to smolder for many years before the Monticello native followed his dream of being in the movie business.

But, follow that dream he did. In 2016, he sold his Athens-based marketing company and raised a million dollars toward his dream. An accomplished feat – Mr. Chastain proceeded to become a writer, director and actor with the release of his first film, “Small Group the Movie.”

It will be released October 19 in theaters across the southeast and be available via theatrical on demand in most theaters around the country. Small Group will be in theaters in Atlanta, Athens, Augusta, Macon, and Conyers, just to name a few on the initial release on October 19, and we’ll add more markets such as Dallas on November 2, he said.

“The idea for the film came from my experience in a small group,” said Mr. Chastain. “It is a great environment for storytelling because is it real and authentic. It is not a cheesy film because it was written to be representative of the real life small group setting.”

Mr. Chastain said approximately 40 million Americans are in small groups and can relate to the shared experience.

“As churches get bigger and bigger,” he said, “the need for small groups becomes more real.”

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He mentioned that Jesus and his disciples made up a small group; it’s not a new concept. The movie has been screened for all sorts of people, and universally it shares the message of grace.

Mr. Chastain said “Small Group The Movie” is a fun movie with a great, strong Biblical message. It defies expectations many have of movies in the genre.

Mr. Chastain credits the fundamental skills he needed to take on the task of writing, directing and performing to mentors like Karen Strickland (now Ferrell-White) and Sharon Aiken, his drama coaches when he was in high school. He also performed with a state wide performing arts troupe called Clovers and Company when he was active 4-H’er in middle and high school. The combination of the leadership in both places gave him the confidence to move forward in the business, and he even called upon some former Clovers and Company members and leader for small roles in the movie. He credits his mother, Joan Fish, for his faithful upbringing.

Mr. Chastain said he started writing the script for “Small Group The Movie” in October of 2014, and with the help of a producer who had just moved to Athens. Together, they took 18 months developing the script, writing nine drafts before completion.

After completing the script, the movie was shot in Athens, Ga., and Guatemala City.

“One of the most amazing experiences of the film was the opportunity to shoot for a week in Guatemala City,” Mr. Chastain said. “Our American crew blended with a local crew and shot for six days in on

e of the poorest, most dangerous neighborhoods in Central America.”

In the film, several members of the small group go on a mission trip to work with Engadi Ministries, an actual ministry that serves the community.

Mr. Chastain recommends going to see the movie in small groups—such as Sunday school class, a group of friends, a civic organization, FCA, etc. He said the movie will make you laugh and make you cry. It is comedy and drama, he said, and has been tested on many audiences with great reviews from each. Mr. Chastain said the movie is very, very raw, but tells a good Biblical story without being preachy or cheesy.

He said as Christians, the movie will have people taking a look at themselves, and said non-Christians have enjoyed the movie as well. Mr. Chastain said although some local people got bit parts, it is a well done movie with talented and skilled professional actors from around the country.

Mr. Chastain is the son of Joan and the late Jake Fish of Monticello. He and his wife, Jennifer, have three children, and his oldest, Copelyn, plays a significant role in the movie. At the University of Georgia, Matt earned a BFA in Journalism with an emphasis on video production which formed another layer of foundation for this accomplishment.

The movie trailer and theater information is available at: smallgroupmovie.com