Video: ‘OzLand’ Indie Film Premieres In Aberdeen

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ABERDEEN, Miss. (WCBI) — A Mississippi film maker is traveling the south, screening his feature film at several theaters. The independent film is about challenging your beliefs while interpreting what’s real and what’s not.
“OzLand” premiered in Aberdeen this weekend where WCBI’s Alyssa Martin caught up with the film’s director and crew, to check out the action at one of their screenings.

Imagine living in a desolate, post apocalyptic world.

Just two men, wandering with no clear direction, until one discovers a copy of “The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz.”

“He starts to read this book and starts thinking that it’s actually factual and not fiction,” says the creator of “OzLand,” Michael Williams.

The book makes one of the main characters wonder about all the ‘what if’s’ in the world surrounding him.

“And he starts seeing parallels between what’s in the book and what’s happening in their world. So he starts to believe that Oz is a real place that he can get to,” said Zack Ratkovich, who stars in the film.

The creator of the story, Michael Williams, is an award-winning film maker and West Point native.

He has made more than 20 short films but “Ozland” is his first full length feature film.

The crew and cast filmed several parts of the independent film in local Mississippi counties.

“Clay county and Monroe county, those are counties that we used. We scattered around, drove for hours until we found buildings or fields or things that fit what we were looking for because we wanted places that are realistic and grounded in reality but had a sense of fantasy or magic to it,” said Williams.

Zack Ratkovich and Glenn Payne star in the film.

Both actors have a well seasoned background in film, but they say their roles in “OzLand” are like no other.

“He is an adult and he’s been living in this isolated world for so long and there’s so many complicated things that are going on, so you just kind of had to put yourself in the situation and imagine what would happen,” said Ratkovich.

“It was very tricky because with the concept there is only 2 of them in the world and they’re looking for others, you start to wonder, culturally how would they be influenced, not be influenced by the way we are in our daily lives, how would they speak.”

Williams hopes the film’s audience will take away a unique message.

“Anyone who watches it can either relate to one of the characters or one of the themes they’re dealing with and find something that speaks to them or they can find important or they can relate to their own lives, on top of just being entertained,” said Glenn Payne, who stars in the film.

For the screening schedule, visit the film’s wesbsite at www.ozlandthefilm.com