McVey’s new film, aptly titled “Freedom,” premiered recently at the Abingdon Cinemall as apart of the Virginia Highlands Festival. Before the opening titles, he addressed the audience, many of whom acted and participated in the movie.

“Freedom does have a meaning other than a movie,” he said. “If we can leave here tonight with that in mind, then I’ve done my job.”

Suffice it to say McVey has accomplished his goal quite handily. Not a dry eye remained in the house after a scene where Daniel Adams, a black freedman, explains the concept of freedom as he sees it to the movie’s protagonist, Capt. Theodore Allen.

Allen, played by Mike Ostroski, is one of many characters who actually lived and fought for their own interpretation of freedom during the Civil War. “Freedom” is based on a story that, while perhaps not as well-known as Gettysburg or Antietam, is just as true.

Beginning with a surprisingly well-played Rogersville, Tenn., battle sequence for a budget of less than $5,000, the movie follows Allen and an injured fellow officer, Lt. A. A. Carr, played by John Hedges, on their escape from capture and their subsequent journey to find their Union regiment in the woods of Southwestern Virginia. Along the way, they meet a handful of benevolent characters who aid them in their need, including Adams, played by Frank Green.

“Freedom, for everyone, is different,” said Green. “It’s not something you can push on someone. My character’s idea of freedom is doing something that could possibly get him killed, but help other people achieve what their idea of freedom is.”

A masterful script explores the concepts of freedom and duty from multiple perspectives – Union and Confederate soldiers, Union sympathizers living in the South (there was a heavy concentration of these in East Tennessee at the time), and a black wageworker who, by his own conviction, cannot be “free” on paper alone, but chooses freedom as a human being – and truly gifted actors complement the work to a tee.

McVey expressed his gratitude for his cast and crew of Barter Theatre professionals, and to the more than 100 re-enactors who helped complete the battle scene.

As characters go in this film, Adams and Carr (Green and Hedges) combine their hard-bought vision of freedom with humor in the face of pain and fear, delivering a sound message to a duty-bound Allen. Ostroski does an excellent job of illustrating Allen’s own personal bonds: He serves the Union out of a sense of duty, but does he really want to? Ostroski’s every word and expression show the doubt in his own free will. All three brilliant performances keep the action moving and bring out the best in the excellent dialogue.

Tom Angland plays a solid supporting role as Union Col. John Netherland, and Eugene Wolf is unforgettable as the irascible Confederate Gen. W. E. “Grumble” Jones.

Additionally, the local bluegrass band the Dixie Bee-Liners peppered the background with an original soundtrack that actually came together during a hectic 48 hours late in production. It was the band’s first motion picture soundtrack.

“Freedom” has the feel of only the most artful Hollywood historical pieces, thanks in large part to what Associate Producer John Hardy called “emotionally risky acting.” He said the moment-to-moment performance in the film is different from mainstream film’s “attitude-based” acting, and in this way, the audience is more attentive to each next word and thought.

“For five thousand dollars,” said Hardy, “instead of a bunch of special effects, we just do it with a lot of heart.”