‘Selma’ crew to host meet and greet

Published 8:30 pm Saturday, June 21, 2014

Hollywood is coming to Selma High School. 

One day before filming begins on “Selma,” movie cast and crew will have a meet and greet at Selma High School. The meet and greet begins at 4 p.m. on Sunday, June, 22 at the high school’s auditorium.

Selma Mayor George Evans said the film’s director Ava DuVernay will attend the meet and greet, but he is unsure of other cast and crew. He encouraged all Selma and Dallas County residents to attend, as the event will be open to the public.

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“This movie is all about Selma,” Evans said. “The movie opens the door to all kinds of opportunities and possibilities for our city.”

“Selma” previously filmed in the Atlanta metropolitan area. It’s scheduled to begin filming in Selma on Monday and continue through Thursday.

Filming locations for the movie include the Edmund Pettus Bridge, an area in front of Washington Street Supermarket, parts of Water Avenue and the corner of Broad Street and Alabama Avenue.

Because of filming, the Edmund Pettus Bridge will be closed starting Monday and continuing until Thursday from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m., according to the Alabama Department of Transportation. Water Avenue, from Lauderdale Street to Martin Luther King Street will be closed for an identical time period on Monday, said Lt. John Brock, who is handling the Selma Police Department’s security detail for the movie.

Water Avenue’s closure will shrink slightly Tuesday through Thursday, as it will be closed from Lauderdale Street to Franklin Street.

Broad Street, from the base of the bridge to Alabama Avenue, will also be closed during filming.

Streets will open back up once filming is complete, scheduled for 9 p.m. Broad Street and Water Avenue will be a four way stop because traffic lights will be removed.

Paramount Pictures has announced the movie is scheduled for a limited release in December. It’s scheduled for a nationwide release on Jan. 9 2015.