Photo credit: Glenathemovie.com
The Western N.C. Ag Center in Fletcher will be on screen at the Slamdance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, this month. “Glena,” which features scenes shot at the center, was one of eight documentaries accepted for the festival, which takes place Jan. 17-23.
Directed by Allan Luebke, the documentary chronicles the quest of Glena Avila — a 30-something single mother — to become a professional mixed martial artist. A description on the film’s website calls it “a real-life Rocky story, a one-in-a-million tale about a woman who risked it all for her shot at the big time.”
The scenes at the WNC Ag Center were filmed in June 2011 during an MMA event put on by Black Eye Promotions, said Ron Stamey, marketing specialist at the center. As far as Stamey knows, it’s the first time the center has been featured in a film.
“We’re proud beyond words to have been part of this inspiring true story of a woman who dreamed big and had the courage to chase those dreams,” he said.
“Glena” is scheduled for two screenings at the festival — on Jan. 18 and Jan. 22. You can watch a trailer for the film here.
The WNC Ag Center is one of three agricultural centers operated by the N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. In addition to hosting a variety of events throughout the year, the center also is home to the annual N.C. Mountain State Fair each September.