CHADRON, Neb. — A homegrown western is hitting the big screen in Chadron.

“Ross Ryler,” a 2.5-hour film written, shot and edited in the Chadron area by the Butler family of Hemingford, is now showing at the Eagle Theatre.

“This is a first for us to have a locally made movie,” said Eagle Theatre owner Molly Summers. “They did everything. They wrote the screenplay. They made their own costumes.”

The film was shot mainly in the Pine Ridge and Alliance areas. Its storyline follows a boy framed for murder who escapes, survives off the land and teams up with another accused man to reclaim their lives.

Summers said the community response has been stronger than expected. “I am so proud of them. They had done a previous movie and shown it to just family, but to be so brave and bold to put this out to the public is awesome,” she said.

The Eagle Theatre hosted a red-carpet premiere last week for the cast and crew, and the movie has one final showing Thursday, Aug. 21, at 7:15 p.m.

A trailer is available on the Eagle Theatre Facebook page.