PORTSMOUTH – If you’ve ever seen the 2008 film ‘Be Kind Rewind’ you may know what a ‘Sweded’ production is. If not – let me explain.

In the film, starring Jack Black, Mos Def, Danny Glover, and Signourney Weaver, a VHS shop is set to be demolished unless they can turn enough profit to renovate the building. Hi-jinks ensue, and all the VHS tapes in the store end up erased. In a last stitch effort to save the store, the staff recreate famous movies – with a very low budget – as best they can. The staff tell customers the films are ‘sweded’, imported from Sweden and continue the farce for the rest of the movie.

Since 2008, small production studios across the country have created ‘Sweded’ versions of feature films. Now, Subject to Change ENT, is doing just that here in Portsmouth, Ohio with their version of the 1988 Action / Thriller Die Hard.

“A Sweded film is a low budget remake of a movie, made genuinely, with a comedic outcome,” explained Director and Star Vincent Herman. “We set out to make Die Hard as best we could on a low budget. And it came out hilarious.”

According to Herman, he and his brother had always wanted to do a Sweded film after they saw ‘Be Kind Rewind.’

“For 10 years, this has been in conversations. Finally, we pulled the trigger around March of this year. By May, we started shooting. And in total, the process took about eight months.”

The cast of the movie features many locals such as Vincent (John McClain), Travis Herman (Hans Gruber), and Chelsea Watkins (Al Powell).

“There were so many people in this cast, including some sleepers that signed on and really stole the show. This is a very locally focused production. Ninety percent of the cast live locally. And it’s filmed here. It’s a heartfelt community project.”

The premier is scheduled for Thursday, December 22nd at 9PM at the Wheelersburg Cinema. Entrance is free. A second special showing is scheduled on New Year’s Eve at the Warehouse in Portsmouth. That show also features a plethora of other entertainment and a Q&A with the filmmakers and cast after the movie.

“I hope people enjoy this and find it as funny as I do. This isn’t going to blow up the world. I expect it to showcase a fun thing we did this year – and hopefully – it opens the door for future projects…It took a while to figure out, but my future goals involve film making. As a local creative, I’d love to get community support. I think our local creative community needs more support.”

Herman says there is more room to showcase the film and if any readers are interested in showing it, contact him to set up a screening. He can be found on social media under the Subject to Change ENT banner.