Both for the donation to the Parish which will help in the maintenance and beautification of the parish grounds as well as the contribution it enabled the parish make to the history of the arts within the borough, Father Jarlath Quinn said this week he was pleased the film industry selected and used the former Mother Teresa School for the recent filming of a prequel to Friday the 13th
The pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help St Agnes parish said there has been considerable interest in recent months from various production companies in leasing both this school and Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Highlands for film shoots.
The agreement for this production was signed last month and preparation for filming for two days was scheduled. The production company spent seven days preparing for the filming and restoring the property to its former condition once they completed their work here. That the production company was not only pleasant to work with but also highly professional was exhibited in many ways, the pastor said, including “they even swept and mopped the floors when they were finished!”
Father Jarlath pointed out the 21st century professional arts activity on the church property brought to mind that the St. Agnes Thrift Shop, also on the property, was once the home of Robert Mantell, the famed Scots stage actor educated in Ireland who appeared in a number of silent films in the early 20th century. Mantell brought numerous actors and actresses to his home in the summer and presented programs here. He established himself as a success particularly in Shakespearean works. He died in Atlantic Highlands in 1928 at the age of 74.
The director of this production, Michael Carson Lennox, is from Northern Ireland , well known in the industry for his cinematography, and filmmaking. His first film, Rip and the Preacher was shown at the Californian Cinequest Film Festival, the LA Shorts Fest and many other film festivals around the world when it was introduced in 2008.
Since then,, he has been recognized as a Master of Arts at the National Film and Television School, and won awards at the Locarno Film Festival in 2012 and also nominated for the European Film Award. He has been recognized at numerous international festivals throughout Europe.
Lennox also directed all three series of the Channel 4 television sitcom Derry Girls.
Last week’s filming at Mother Teresa was for the tv series, Crystal Lake, produced by the highly successful production company, “A24” and is the prequel to the moneymaking franchise, Friday the 13th. The series, with Linda Cardellini, will air on the Peacock streaming service once completed with its filming at several different locations throughout New Jersey.
The production at Mother Teresa brought more than 300 crew and cast members to the borough, also bringing additional revenue to other businesses within the borough.
Father Jarlath said the funds realized by the parish from the production company will be used to replace the roof on Mother Teresa School as well as for further beautification of the grounds at both churches in the parish.
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