‘FINDING SOLACE’

‘FINDING SOLACE’ Psychological thriller filmed in Columbus invites locals to premiere

Motivate Picture’s psychological thriller “Finding Solace,” partially filmed in Columbus, will premiere during the Austin Action Fest and Market, Saturday, Aug. 9, at 7 p.m. at the Galaxy Theater.

“Finding Solace” follows the emotionally turbulent reconnection of the estranged Solace sisters while the town’s sheriff investigates a series of murders. Due to overwhelming ticket sales, the Austin Action Fest and Market opened a second theater for the showing. A Q&A session with Maurice Moore, screenwriter, director and actor for the film, will follow.

“This local premiere is more than just a milestone—it marks the beginning of a much larger journey. We’re just getting started, and we’re incredibly honored to premiere the film with Austin Action Fest and Market. We can’t wait to share it with our Texas community,” Motivate Pictures director of public relations and film strategy Jennifer Whitney said in a press release sent on July 19.

Whitney shared the discount code “Solace25” for 25% off the $20 tickets purchasable on the festival’s website. The festival also reserved a hotel block at the Fairfield Inn and Suites Austin-University Area at 959 Reinli St., Austin, for Columbus locals to book hotel rooms at discounted rates. Locals can use the group code AAF to book over the phone or online.

“We wanted to do that so that people from Columbus could come out and then make a night of it to stay in Austin,” Whitney said in an interview.

“Finding Solace” filmed in Columbus, Paige, Dripping Springs and Austin in 2023. The crew filmed in Columbus during two trips that spanned around a month. Whitney, who also served as a producer for “Finding Solace,” said the crew really enjoyed filming in Columbus.

“We just love the people, that’s what really made the difference,” Whitney said. “It was what [Maurice Moore’s] vision was when he wrote the movie, and everybody was so wonderful and receiving of us. We were really happy to expand from Austin and be brining business to some of the other towns.”

Moore, also Motivate Pictures’ founder, decided to film in Columbus after visiting for the first time. His interest and love of film began when Stephen Spielberg filmed “The Color Purple” in his small hometown in North Carolina.

“When I first drove through, it was exactly how I wrote it in the script,” Moore said to The Sealy News in 2023. “Everything was exactly the way that I pictured how the town would look and feel... I absolutely loved it.”

The filming locations included Dewberry Café, outdoor spaces and local residences. Many locals, including Candy Cordova, her husband and son, joined as extras during the filming in Columbus. Cordova said the filming of the café scene started at 7 p.m. and ran late until 2 a.m. She said filming was “a blast.”

“They were real nice. We had a good time with them,” Cordova said. “We filmed with them and then we sat there and talked and had dinner with them. They were just really good people.”

Cordova said that she responded to the call for extras posted by the Columbus Chamber of Commerce. Shelley Janik served as the tourism director for the Chamber at the time of the filming but now serves as the office manager and event coordinator. She worked with the production team to coordinate filming and extras.

“We’ve had two films filmed here in the past… Everybody wants to usually come see the town which brings tourism back,” Janik said.

Texas First Lady Cecilia Abbott announced Columbus as the 200th Film Friendly Texas Certified Community by the Texas Film Commission on May 2. The Film Friendly Texas Certified Community Program assists communities in welcoming media production and coordinating production with local businesses.

“We are excited to be the newest inductee into the Film Friendly Texas Community program,” Columbus Mayor Lori An Gobert said, quoted in the Texas Film Commission’s press release. “We look forward to promoting our beautifully historic and friendly town to people in the media industry. We also are encouraged by the wonderful ongoing training and guidance offered by the Texas Film Commission.”

Motivate Pictures will be showcasing the movie in a variety of film festivals across the world and distribute the movie over the course of a year. Whitney urged those attending the premiere to arrive by 6:40 p.m. and welcomed them to walk the red carpet.