The Selma Times-Journal

Deemed a “film festival favorite” by critics, the Tonya S. Holly feature “When I Find the Ocean,” will premiere July 21 and July 22 at the Selma Performing Arts Center.

The film, which is set in 1965 Alabama, follows the dream of a young girl named Lily Strickland and her exciting and enlightening quest to find the ocean. The film stars Lily Matland Holly, Lee Majors, Diane Ladd, Graham Green, Bernie Casey, Richard Tyson, Amy Redford, David “Shark” Fralick, George Lindsey, Steve Viall, Pace Stoddard and the historical city of Selma.

Three scenes of “When I Find the Ocean” were shot in the Queen City, where cameras rolled at the Edmund Pettus Bridge, the Public Safety Building and a Selma Avenue barbershop.

After its debut, “When I Find the Ocean” gained a solid following at several film festivals throughout the U.S, earning the second place prize at the Second Annual Myrtle Beach Film Festival in May and an Honorable Mention at the Reel Women International Film Festival in March 2006 in Hollywood, Calif.

Due to its coast-to-coast success, leading independent film producer and distributor Cinamour Entertainment acquired the worldwide sales and distribution rights to the film, which was originally released by the Alabama-based company Cypress Moon Productions.

Once the deal was finalized, the film was presented to buyers during the prestigious and star-studded Cannes Film Festival in France.

“This film is a perfect fit for our distribution slate,” said Cinamour Entertainment CEO Glen Hartford. “The fact that it’s a family friendly film contributes to the diversity of our feature film product. It’s such an appealing, heartwarming, story. We fell in love with it right away due to its name talent and engaging plot.”

Like Hartford, Holly – a Muscle Shoals native who wrote, directed and produced “When I Find the Ocean – is enthused by the film’s success.

“We are absolutely thrilled about the collaboration with Cinamour,” she said. “It is gratifying that a distributor of the caliber of Cinamour Entertainment recognizes the value of our film and the place it should have within the world of family-themed films.”

“When I Find the Ocean” will play at the Selma Performing Arts Center at 7 p.m. July 21 and July 22 at 2 p.m., 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.