David Scarlatescu (left) and Mitchell Vanlerberg standing outside of the Towne Theatre in Vernon one week before the premiere of "Young Ronin II".

(BAILEY ZIMMER / iNFOnews.ca)

The sequel to a locally produced action-packed ninja movie will be premiering on Friday in Vernon.

Young Ronin II is the low-budget independent follow up to Young Ronin which was released two years ago, according to writer, director and star Mitchell Vanlerberg.

Character growth and development are themes seen throughout the movie, he said, which can reflect real life experiences the writers and actors have faced.

“The theme of the movie is you can't always judge people by the worst moments and you got to learn how to forgive people that may have caused you misfortune. There's always room for forgiveness,” Vanlerberg said.

After two years in the making, the movie is finally ready to be on the big screen and will premiere Friday, Oct. 11 at the Towne Theatre in downtown Vernon, almost two years exactly from the original premiere of Young Ronin. Two show times are set at 6 p.m.and 8:30 p.m. More viewings may be scheduled if there is a demand.

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The movie follows a teenage martial artist, Nate, who is blackmailed into saving two university students from a notorious ninja clan. A sudden mix up leads to Nate’s girlfriend taking his place and learning ninjutsu to save the students.

The actors in the movie were trained by martial artists at Kees Tae Kwon Do in Vernon to perform the stunts in the movie and to create a sense of flow in the choreography.

As up and comers, the actors and producers alike are excited to leave their mark on the world and leave a piece of their legacy behind.

“The way I look at films is we're living this history so we don't really notice it, but the same way that the bible was written, the ancient books of Greek mythology, ancient art pieces... this is our modern-day art and this is going to be talked about and around for centuries and millennia to come," cast member David Scarlatescu said.

The film had a budget of around $5,000, which is relatively limited in the movie making world, but was bigger budget than the first  film. Most of the money to create the movie was contributed by Vanlerberg.

Scarlatescu hopes viewers will be surprised at the production value despite the low budget. 

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The movie was shot in Vernon so there will be recognizable landmarks throughout.

“There's going to be a real homage to the different areas in town and I think there's going to be something for everyone,” Scarlatescu said.

One setback experienced during filming was the big forest fire that started in West Kelowna last year, 2023. As the wind blew the flames toward Kelowna, it took with it the use of the highway, making it a challenge for actors to get to and from the film shoot in Vernon, ultimately setting the production back in time. Though this was a setback, it wasn't a deterrent for the rest of the movie.

The film features many up and coming actors from the area who are getting their first shot on a big screen and are building their portfolios. None of the actors have seen the film yet, so opening night of the production will be an evening of excitement. 

“I'm just excited to see people's reaction because again, I know people really like the first one and I think this one's just taking it to the next level,” Sarlatescu said.

Tickets for the premiere at the Vernon Towne Theatre are being sold for $15 and can be purchased online here.

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