Los Angeles area filmmaker Ry Wardwell grew up in Massachusetts, but since his sister Nikki Sleath moved to Collinsville three years ago, the village has served as a locale for the family holiday gatherings. 

Every winter he spends time in Collinsville and has been inspired by the village and its history. Sleath also works with the elderly and Wardwell said he's heard many great stories.

"There's more inspiration for stories from real people here than I find in L.A.," Wardwell said. 

With some of that in mind, Wardwell shot footage this year for a short film with a working title of "One, Two . . . Twirl." 

The film is about a dancer's memory of being a little girl with a rough family life who received much-needed encouragement while visiting a shop, set at Antiques on the Farmington. 

Playing the main character at various stages of her life are Sleath, a dancer herself, and her 7-year-old daughter Bridget. Sleath and Wardwell's mother Nancy is in the film, which also stars Sleath's son Aidan, 10, husband Duane and Ave Maria Lindon of New York City.

Sleath said she never realized that being in a film involved so many takes at different angles. 

"We never knew, before agreeing to do this with Ry, how much work it would be," she said, adding that it was still fun. 

In addition to the antiques store, The Collinsville factory site is used as a backdrop in the film and a few other locations around town will also appear in it. 

Wardwell said if he feels it comes out good enough, he will enter the film in festival competitions. If not, it will more quickly be posted on the Internet. 

He added that he may do more, longer-feature film work in Collinsville in the coming years. 

When not making movies, Wardwell works for Toyota, doing strategic product development for alternative fueled vehicles.