Southwest Missourians thrilled by success of 'Winter's Bone'

FORSYTH, Mo. -- In her apartment in Los Angeles, Lauren Sweetser waited for the announcement at 5:30 a.m.

In her West Plains, Mo., home, Marideth Sisco's phone started ringing at 7:30 a.m.

In New York, Debra Granik had just dropped her daughter off at school when snow started to fall and her phone rang.

All over the country, people were abuzz when "Winter's Bone," a movie shot in the Ozarks, received four Academy Award nominations Tuesday, including one for best picture.

"We freaked out for a good while. It's pretty wild," said Sweetser, a Missouri State University graduate who was in the film. "It's a dream come true."

"Winter's Bone" was filmed mostly in Forsyth and is based on the book by West Plains author Daniel Woodrell. It features a slew of area musicians and local actors, who were ecstatic at the news of the nominations. The film has garnered many awards, exceeding the director's expectations.

"We felt like the film had got beautiful luck all year long and this is tipping it over, going to the next unexpected level," Granik said. "I kind of felt that we had gotten all the film could get."

The Oscar nominations are John Hawkes for actor in a supporting role; Jennifer Lawrence for actress in a leading role; producers Anne Rosellini and Alix Madigan-Yorkin for best picture; and Debra Granik and Anne Rosellini for writing (adapted screenplay).

Sweetser, who landed the role of the lead's best friend, said the movie has already changed her life. After graduation, she moved to L.A., got an agent and manager and appeared on an episode of "Law & Order," all of which she credits to the film's success.

"It's really wild. It's the Super Bowl," she said.

The film focuses on Ree Dolly, a teenage girl trying to survive in the Ozarks mountains and save her family as she searches for her meth-making father.

Nixa, Mo., resident Cody Brown played Floyd in the film and said he had been receiving phone calls of congratulations all day.

"When I was working on the film, I knew I was part of something special," Brown said, but added he was not expecting the film to produce such mass appeal.

He suspected the premise and setting "doomed" the film to be a cult classic.

"But a lot of people were able to look past that to see the universal messages."

Before "Winter's Bone," Brown's acting experience consisted mostly of student productions and small theater performances around the Springfield, Mo., and Warrensburg, Mo., areas.

Brandon Gray, a 29-year-old who lives in Springfield and was in the film, said, "it's just freaking exciting to be a part of anything that has gone that mainstream. It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, something you never think you could be part of."

Gray owns a collision repair business in Marshfield, Mo., and acting is only a hobby, but for some of his fellow actors, this is a huge resume-builder, he said.

It shows if you continue to pursue your dreams, good things can come of it, he said.

It "gave a lot of people different opportunities," said Kathy Beeson, who lives 10 miles from Forsyth.

Several members of her family, including Beeson, appeared in the film or allowed film crews to shoot scenes in their homes and farms.

Area musicians such as Sisco have reaped rewards.

Since appearing in the film, Sisco said her life has completely changed.

She went from retired, teaching an occasional class at community college, to producing a successful soundtrack for the film and traveling for it, too.

She was at Sundance when the film took top honors and recently returned from a film festival in Italy.

"I'm so proud to have been a part of this and so proud to be an Ozarks hillbilly. People love us all over the world," she said.

The music has resonated with audiences worldwide, said Granik, who just got back from Norway, where the soundtrack is popular.

Foreign press are doing interviews with Missouri musicians, which is cool, she said.

While still filming the movie, Granik had humble hopes for the film.

She told the News-Leader in a 2009 interview that she had no idea where the movie would be released but expected it to be available on Netflix at the very least.

Instead, the film went on to play in more than 200 cities, grossed more than $6.2 million at the North American box office, received seven Independent Spirit Award nominations, was included on more than 100 critics' Top Ten lists and won the Gotham Award for Best Picture of 2010.

Now, some folks like Sisco and Sweetser hope they might be able to snag a seat at the Academy Awards.

"That is the big looming question," Sweetser said. "'Are you going? What are you wearing?' I don't know anything, I'm just so excited. I'm going to be wearing this smile for weeks, it's just amazing."