By Virginia Schneider
Los Angeles, CA (The Hollywood Times) 03/21/25 – The deep, lonely, Appalachian Mountains provide the setting for a tense reunion between a husband, Teddy – turned unfruitfully idealistic after the war – and his wife, Marion – armed with courage and knowledge found in the years without him. Their former relationship lies lost somewhere in the five years that have passed, but they share one common, unspoken, interest: to build a future.
In the heart of winter, their life and profession as tailors becomes complicated by newfound desires, talents, and a broken pair of glasses. Unable to sew, Teddy must pick up other work. Meanwhile, Marion moves back to the familiar feeling of working without her husband – and more than familiar, it may be preferable, too.
Colin Henning wrote, directed and plays the male lead Teddy, in Appalachian Dog while partner and filmmaker Chad Hylton produced and edited this, the debut feature film from their production company, C.H. Squared. Shot in the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina, the home state of producers and actors Georgia Morgan and Colin Henning, Henning and Hylton used the beautiful, magical and sometimes barren mountains as a central character to the story.
The story is set after World War II as Teddy returns from war to his home in the mountains. An historic cabin and an Edwardian-Era barn provide exquisite locations while a nearby running brook and eerie, echoing sounds of nature wrap our story in a wispy cocoon. Henning knew he did not want much music as a backdrop but rather the sounds of nature, of silence, and echoes of birdsong and wind, sounds our characters lived within, to be the canvas for the setting.
Also in the background of the film Henning says is the undercurrent of Appalachian Spiritualism which he feels creates an unsettling atmosphere. Our characters have no more control over the spirits in the wind, than they do the ability to move a mountain… or change their hearts. The beautiful cinemaphotography by Aidan Macaluso captures all these elements with keen angles and period color tones. Appalachian Dog is a stunning debut release. While most indie filmmakers struggle to successfully produce an original, thematic and impactful story C.H. Squared has nailed the formula. This is definitely a production team to watch.
The film also features producer/actress Georgia Morgan, Peggie Darrow, Cate Wills, Monica Rae Summers Gonzalez, Aaron J. Stewart and Annie McLean. Appalachian Dog is distributed by Buffalo 8 and just premiered on Amazon and Tubi. DON’T miss it!