The world premiere of "Deception," a movie filmed in Washington and Wilkes County, will be held in the ballroom of The Pope Center on Saturday, July 19.

Entry to the black-tie premiere is by invitation only, but producer Vianlix Mestey said that she wishes she could do a premiere for the whole town. "I learned that film festival restrictions say you cannot show it to many people if you want to submit it to the film festivals like Sundance. This is why we can't show it to the whole town."

For those invited, she said, "We are trying to bring Hollywood to Washington and that requires a redcarpet experience. We want them to feel as if they went to a Hollywood premiere but in their home town."

The premiere begins at 4 p.m., with the movie showing at 5:30 and dinner at 7:30.

The screening, Mestey said, is a way for Mestey Films Productions to thank everyone that helped make "Deception" possible. "There are so many people involved in making a movie. I am so grateful that I did my movie in Washington. It's the perfect place to do it."

The independent movie producer found that Washington and Wilkes County had a built-in cast of authentically costumed extras, veterans of "Postmarked Wilkes County," the only outdoor production in Georgia, plus others who have been in costume and in character at the Spring Tour of Homes, the Christmas Tour, and at living history events at Callaway Plantation, the Robert Toombs House, and the Washington Historical Museum.

The screening of the movie, she said, is a way to show everyone in Washington-Wilkes what the production company has accomplished with their help. "We would like them to see that everyone's help, from big to small, made this movie possible. We could not have done it without them."

Most of the cast will be present at the premiere, she said. "And for the actors, this will also be the first time they see the final project. Some of them have not seen anything from the project since they last left location. So, it is a very special event in many ways."

Mestey said she and the cast are looking forward to seeing the friends they made in Washington. "I am so looking forward to seeing old friends that I have made, thanks to the movie. I have made a life-long friendship with Phil and Margaret Rothman - they are part of my family now. They are great people that allowed us to use their house, Holly Court, and make it a part of the story. One of the cast members told me that Holly Court had become another character in the story."

Mestey said after the premier is when the work really starts. "My plan is to submit 'Deception' to all the major film festivals like Sundance, Toronto, and many more. We hope that a distributor will see it and want to buy the movie to release it into theaters all over the United States, and you all can go and see it."

Updates on the festival entries will be posted on the company's website, MesteyFilmsProductions.com. "After the premier you can see what film festivals we have entered and what prizes we have won. It will you can also find out what other productions we will be working on in the future. There are more productions coming in the on coming year."

Since she couldn't have an open premiere for the whole town, Mestey said, "I want to take this time to say 'thank you all' for letting us become part of the town. Without your support, this movie would have never been done, and I will be forever grateful to this wonderful town that I hold dear in my heart."