“God’s Country Song” is among the newest films on the Pure Flix streaming platform, and this faith film includes the granddaughter of Nobel Prize-winning author Ernest Hemingway, Mariel Hemingway, in its cast.
The fictional tale follows a man with dreams of becoming a Country music star until his past catches up with him.
CBN News’ Studio 5 traveled to Nashville for the red carpet premiere and the chance to sit down with the cast and creators behind the project.
Filmmaker Johnny Remo is the writer and director.
“I co-wrote it with my co-writer, Dan Backman. I really enjoyed doing movies that have music in it, so Dan and I got together and came up with the idea. We wanted a story that, you know, today addiction is as big,” Remo told CBN News.
“We wanted to deal with something that dealt with family and how important it is to have not only parents but have God in your family to fight all those demons. So, it’s a story about biblically speaking about the pride before the fall,” he continued.
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This was also a passion project for Remo, who lost his daughter to her struggles with addiction. His passion personally touched cast members, like Hemingway. Like many, she’s faced dark moments in her life.
“You may know her grandfather Ernest – very famous, prolific writer – committed suicide. Her dad committed suicide. Her sister Margo committed suicide. So she started this organization where she goes around the world and talks about the same thing; is the addiction. It is the mental health. She says that is the reason that she did this movie,” he explained.
Singer Justin Gaston and Justene Alpert lead the cast.
Gaston shared, “I play Noah Bryan, who’s an aspiring Country artist, and I leave home to pursue my dreams and write as I’m about to, you know, get my break and go on this big tour, I find out I have a son named J.J.”
“So, at this point in my life where I’ve worked so hard and it’s like, am I going to selfishly pursue my dreams or am I going to, you know, step up and become a father?” he continued.
“I relate to Noah a lot because I left Louisiana, you know, at 17 years old, I went to New York and was in between Nashville and L.A., just pursuing music and pursuing acting. So, I can relate a lot to the fact of like losing time with family and friends to, like, pursue a dream. I think I can relate to Noah in the sense of he put so much on the line and gave so much up,” he told CBN News.
Actress Justene Alpert sees some of herself in Leanne, the character she portrays in the story.
“I think Leanne just serves for me as a reminder of the kind of person that I want to be in my everyday life, is to love wholeheartedly and to take others in and just care for others more than yourself,” Justene said.
“I love just the fundamental aspects of this movie that relates to everybody. People of faith or people who may have not found their faith yet. It’s just a great reminder for a good human being. It’s based on forgiveness, grace, and love, and then ultimately hope and faith,” she continued.
“God’s Country Song” is available now on the Pure Flix platform.
The remainder of this article is available in its entirety at CBN
