A chance meeting in Michigan led to a Collinsville native bringing an international film director to her hometown, and the theatre she “grew up in,” in search of investors for their project.

Annette Hodge and her husband were vacationing on Mackinac Island when they bumped into South African film director Ryan

Collinsville native and “The Parricidal Effect” Co-producer, Annette Hodge / Submitted photo

Davy, who was staying at the same hotel. Davy was on the island as part of his bicycle tour around Michigan to raise money for his latest effort, “The Parricidal Effect.”

The pair discovered a mutual viewpoint on independent filmmaking and soon Hodge was a co-producer on the upcoming supernatural thriller. She convinced Davy to take their quest for investors to Collinsville and the Miner’s Theatre, where she spent a large portion of her childhood.

“It is quite humbling for a little ‘ole Collinsville girl like me to be working for someone of Director Davy’s caliber,” Hodge said. “I am so blessed and humbled by it all, that at times I have to pinch myself to make sure it’s real.”

Davy, the founder of Crazyhorse Pictures, has shot documentaries, short films and the feature film “Lords of Exile.” Davy is in the United States because he wants his work to be more marketable, he said.

“The Parricidal Effect” Director Ryan Davy / Submitted photo

“In South Africa, even if we use our top actors, they aren’t well known,” Davy said. The lack of name recognition makes it very difficult for the films to be distributed internationally.

Hollywood actors and American production also cost more money, which is the driver behind Davy’s visit to the Miner’s Theatre Nov. 8 and 9. Hodge and Davy will be meeting with potential investors in the film, which is set to start filming in January.

The reservation only presentations at the Miner’s Theatre will include a 9-minute trailer for the film, a Letter of Interest from a film distributor, the screen play, shooting schedule, budget, art work, legal documents, sales projections and more. Every aspect a potential investor could be concerned with will be covered, Davy said.

The Miner’s Theatre / Photo by Roger Starkey

While in Collinsville, Davy will be filming the Miner’s Theatre and other locations in town. The footage may be included in the full-length documentary film he is making about fundraising for an independent film.

Davy will arrive in town fresh off his cycling tour of Michigan that lasted more than a month and found him cycling about 70 miles per day with 100 pounds of gear. Davy wanted to do a cycling tour to attract investors because he felt he had to do something extreme to get people’s attention, he said. It was also an effort to show potential investors that he is not sitting back waiting for people to give him money.

“The new independent filmmaker is the guy who gets out and meets potential investors,” Davy said. “I will come to them.”

Michigan was chosen as the site of Davy’s bicycle tour because “The Parricidal Effect” will be filmed in the state. The movie is about a family torn apart by a secret they failed to expose. The supernatural is needed to stop people from being killed or harmed.

Davy likes to have a positive message in each film, he said. The positive message in “The Parricidal Effect” is helping people in a family discuss their issues. “If we are going to work toward world peace, it starts in the family,” Davy said.

The presentations will be at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 8 and 11 a.m., 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 9. The presentations are for potential investors, but the public is welcome to attend. Space is limited to 40 people and reservations are required. Those interested in attending should email minersinstitute@gmail.com or call 618-972-4236.

Potential investors interested in speaking with a member of Crazyhorse Pictures privately can email crazyhorsepictures@gmail.com.

Uptown Coordinator Leah Joyce said it is exciting to have the Miner’s Theatre chosen as the venue for the presentations. “It’s one of the first steps forward in beginning to utilize the building again,” Joyce said.