Johnson County has come to the big screen.
Filmmakers will debut “Operation Dunkirk,” a World War II action movie filmed in familiar places throughout the county, at the Artcraft Theatre at 7:30 p.m. today.
The film centers on the evacuation of Dunkirk, France, when the British military scrambled to avoid annihilation by German forces in World War II.
In the movie, a group of British soldiers is sent on a mission to retrieve a mysterious package that contains the algorithm for radar. Trapped behind Nazi lines, they have to sneak back to safety with the war effort in the balance.
The movie was created by the California-based production studio The Asylum, known for “mockbuster” films spoofing well-known movies. Their catalog includes “Mega Piranha,” “2-Headed Shark Attack” and the Sharknado series.
The studio’s relationship with Franklin-based promoter and filmmaker Bill Dever helped facilitate filming in Johnson County. Scenes were shot in locations such as Atterbury Fish and Wildlife Area, the Franklin Flying Field and Ashley Drake Historic Inn in Franklin.
Tickets to the showing are $5 for adults, $4 for college students, seniors 55 and over, and military, and $3 for kids 12 and under. All proceeds from the screening go to Franklin Heritage and the Historic Artcraft Theatre.
