LOS ANGELES — ‘Halfway to Amarillo,’ a heartfelt Western comedy produced by Mike Binder (‘Reign Over Me,’ ‘The Upside of Anger’), is set for a worldwide release via Gravitas Ventures and Shout! Studios. Shot in just 11 days on a budget of under $60,000, the indie feature has already won Best Independent Feature at IFS Los Angeles and Audience Choice at the Lake Travis Film Festival.
The story follows Michael Coleman, a struggling writer battling severe writer’s block as he races to finish his second novel, an 1880s Western. In a surreal twist, his protagonist, outlaw Eli West, and villainous sheriff Morgan Ambrose come to life in modern-day Los Angeles. As chaos unfolds and an unexpected romance blossoms between the two characters, Michael must confront his unraveling life, lost love, and looming deadline.
Written, directed, and led by Burt Binder, the film is a love letter to the Western genre that embraces modern themes of connection and creativity. Drawing on classics such as ‘Lonesome Dove’ and contemporary works like ‘The Power of the Dog’ and ‘Brokeback Mountain,’ Binder crafted an “enemies to lovers” LGBTQ romance between Eli and Morgan. The film stars Luke Jones as Eli West and Peter Giles as Morgan Ambrose, alongside Binder as Michael Coleman, and earned a 9/10 review from Film Threat.
Released by Gravitas Ventures, ‘Halfway to Amarillo’ is available to stream on Apple TV, Amazon Prime Video, Tubi, and Plex, and to rent or purchase on Google Play, Apple TV, and Fandango.
Watch: View the trailer on YouTube.
