By Robin Postell

THOMASVILLE, Ga. – The film industry in Georgia is still going strong. The latest cinematic endeavor,” The Tiger Rising,” will begin filming this week in Thomasville, with big name stars like Queen Latifah, Dennis Quaid and newcomer Madalen Mills.

Thomasville native Allen Cheney is one of the producers of the film, with Thomasville Pictures. Cheney, a 2006 Brookwood graduate, currently lives in Beverly Hills and is also an author of the memoir, “Crescendo,” published in July 2019, based on his journals and centered around his grandfather, Fred Allen.

Queen Latifah is also an executive producer.

“The Tiger Rising” is about a shy 12-year-old boy named Rob who moves to rural Florida and lets his imagination go wild after losing his mother. When he encounters a caged tiger hidden in the woods behind his house and held captive by Quaid’s mean character, Beauchamp, he teams up with a maid played by Queen Latifah, and a new girl in school named Sills, played by Mills. Rob’s journey involves deciding whether to set the tiger free and in turn release his own grief.

An adaptation of Kate DiCamillo’s 2001 New York Times Bestselling children’s book, “The Tiger Rising” is set to begin filming in multiple locations in both Thomasville and Tifton beginning this week.

The film is already being talked about on a global scale, as it will be presented at the Toronto Film Festival via Highland Film Group, according to Deadline.

Filming will continue through December 20, which will boost the economy in southwest Georgia and provide opportunities for people to get involved as extras.