New Dennis Quaid baseball movie filmed in Augusta gets red carpet treatment for premiere

Hollywood came to Augusta on Wednesday for the release of "The Hill."

The red carpet was rolled out at the Miller Theater downtown for a special premiere screening of the baseball biopic filmed in Augusta and hitting theaters nationwide this weekend.

It's based on the true story of Rickey Hill, a baseball player who had to overcome his physical disabilities and disapproving father for a chance to play professionally. The film's director Jeff Celentano said he was committed to bringing this to the big screen the moment he first read the script.

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"As soon as I read it, I just fell in love with it," Celentano said. "It just got inside my heart and it never left. I just said 'This is a story the world has never heard and they really have to hear it. It's super special and it'll inspire people in a way that I never imagined.'"

The director described how he found Augusta through his producer. He was looking for something quaint and warm, something reminiscent of a Steven Spielberg flick. When he took some photos around town and sent them to the real-life Rickey Hill, the native Texan thought they were of his home town.

In the movie, Hill is played by Colin Ford, star of Netflix's "Daybreak" and Disney's "Captain Jack and the Never Land Pirates." In a previous interview with the Augusta Chronicle, Ford explained how he spent a lot of time with Hill, feeling a responsibility to ensure his portrayal was accurate. Hill loved Ford's performance.

"I made him do a good job," Hill joked. "He did a great job. He did everything I asked of him. I didn't really have to ask anything because his acting is phenomenal. I appreciate that guy so much. That young man means the world to me."

That love was shared by the audience. Many viewers like Constance Cosby left the screening with smiles on their faces.

"I loved it," she said. "It's a tear-jerker."

Her son Tristan Davis was pointing out a lot of the Augusta-area landmarks that could be seen in the movie.

"We're from here, born and raised, so it's nice to see my home town put on the map," Davis said. "It definitely feels good to say 'I know this place, I've seen this place.'"

The movie is out now and it won't be the last time Augusta gets the spotlight. Celentano said he intends to shoot his next movie here. It's about a singer/song writer who goes to Nashville to live out his dream, then when his life takes a turn for the worse, he meets another singer that changes everything.

This article originally appeared on Augusta Chronicle: Rickey Hill biopic 'The Hill' premieres at Miller Theater in Augusta