The Pines, a film site for ‘Furlough’

PINE PLAINS— The hamlet of Pine Plains will soon be featured on the big screen, as Furlough Productions recently chose to film a scene from the comedy ““Furlough” at The Pines.

Starring Melissa Leo, the independent film “Furlough” tells the story of an inmate who is granted one weekend out of prison to visit her dying mother. Comedy ensues when a rookie correction officer struggles to keep Leo’s character under control during the weekend.

According to film producer Jonathan Burkhart, the private film company discovered The Pines while scouting for locations around the Hudson Valley. 

“We were looking for a fancy home that was more about matching a particular woman who had lived there,” explained  Burkhart. “It all had to read that the woman in the film was well-to-do.”

A request to film at The Pines was made to the Town Board. Pine Plains Supervisor Secretary Kathy Rigano said, location scout Leah Reingerwitz attended a board meeting on March 16 to ask for approval to shoot in the town of Pine Plains.

“We were looking for a beautiful home to film in, and Pine Plains is certainly beautiful,” recounted Reingerwitz, commenting on the Victorian beauty of The Pines’ architecture.

Provided that traffic would not be disturbed in the process of filming, the Town Board granted the company permission to film the following week. 

“It’s always awesome to see a local venue or business on the big screen,” said Rigano.

Reingerwitz said the owners of The Pines were enthusiastic about the company’s decision to use their home. A memo of approval was signed and arrangements were made to meet the needs of both the film crew and the homeowners. The owners only had a few requests: for the crew to protect the floors, keep the area clean, keep the doors closed and the heat on. 

The cast and crew filmed from Tuesday, March 21, to Wednesday, March 22. Though the release date for the film has yet to be determined, Burkhart said that by next year, the company hopes to speak publicly about the project. Pine Plains residents will be pleased to know that the filming done at The Pines will be featured in the opening scene of the movie.