Olivia Blaney and Hudson Lovell lead an ensemble of local kid actors

By Alison Rooney

Garrison local Beatrice Copeland just completed her second short film. This one, shot in Cold Spring, features 25 kids from Beacon, Cold Spring and Garrison and 90 Christmas trees from last winter. The film, Evergreen, is about a young girl (Beacon’s Olivia Blaney) who starts stashing discarded Christmas trees in her backyard with the help of her brother (Cold Spring’s Hudson Lovell). Youthful imagination and a gaggle of neighborhood kids take over and transform the backyard into a bustling city of tree forts.

The "Evergreen" logo
The “Evergreen” logo

Copeland adapted a short story, Christmas Trees, by her father, James Copeland, based on a similar event that took place in his backyard in Charlotte, North Carolina. Evergreen will premiere at the Beacon Independent Film Festival on Sept. 20.

Hudson Lovell and Olivia Blaney in Beatrice Copeland's "Evergreen"
Hudson Lovell and Olivia Blaney in Beatrice Copeland’s ”Evergreen”

The kids featured in the film, along with Blaney and Lovell, are Noah Bingham, Anna Cenicola, Lizzy Cenicola, James D’Abruzzo, Alex Danilov, Lucas Garnier, Amanda Johanson, Conor McMahon, Luke Parrella, Justin Roffman, Charlie Schauffler, Aria Shahbodaghi, Zack Shannon, Will Speziale, Tomas Struck, Estella Struck, Sofia Wallis, Jasmine Wallis and Freya Wood-Gallagher.

Images courtesy of Beatrice Copeland

Behind The Story

Type: News

News: Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.

Rooney has been writing for The Current since its founding in 2010. A playwright, she has lived in Cold Spring since 1999. She is a graduate of Binghamton University, where she majored in history. Location: Cold Spring. Languages: English. Area of Expertise: Arts