A new film premiering in the Triad this weekend is a road trip through the U.S. as seen through the eyes of playwright and poet Oscar Wilde. And Oscar Wilde About America has several ties to the Winston-Salem community.
The movie reimagines Wilde’s 1882 tour of America, where he lectured across the country, in a contemporary setting. With filming locations that include New York City and Los Angeles, Winston-Salem is featured to represent the American South.
Max Cullen, the director of operations and development for the LGBTQ+ film series OUT at the Movies, says the film is an optimistic reflection of contemporary life in the U.S., where the flamboyant Wilde can find the self-liberation and acceptance that eluded him in his own era.
Cullen says director James Andrew Walsh became enamored with Winston-Salem during visits to the annual OUT at the Movies Film Festival. A crew was brought in for five days of filming in and around the city.
He says Walsh was attracted to Winston-Salem’s vibrancy and embrace of the arts.
"It's quaint, yet it's cultured and regal," says Cullen. "It's all of these things. And so it's kind of that ideal location to start the film's southern portion."
Oscar Conlon-Morrey, a rising theater star from London, stars as Oscar Wilde, and the movie features several regional actors including Rosemary Harris and Kate Burton.
Oscar Wilde About America will have its world premiere at the Milton Rhodes Center for The Arts Saturday at 8 p.m., with a Q&A following the screening.