| Advertisement |
|
|
In a dense forest near Goode in Bedford County, a 14-year-old girl is running away from her kidnapper.
The dramatic scene is a crucial part of "Finding Faith," a movie about the danger of Internet predators.
"People have got to be woken up to what's going on," said actor Erik Estrada, who plays Bedford County Sheriff Mike Brown in a story based on actual crimes.
"The sexual predator is in your living room," said Estrada, "He's on your computer. He's on your smart phone."
The film shows how a girl from a good home gets mixed up with a man she meets online.
Jamie Watson saw this happen many times in real life. He's a professional actor now, but he used to investigate Internet crimes at the Bedford County Sheriff's Office.
"To be able to come back in as an actor, and still my work be toward education, makes it an honor to be a part of this," Watson said.
While some of the actors and crew members are professionals, many are volunteers who live here in the area.
Stephanie Bettcher is a student at Liberty University. She's playing "Faith," the girl who gets kidnapped.
The role has opened her eyes to Internet sex crimes.
"Being a part of a film that gets that message out is important to me, and because it's a faith-based film, we can share Christ's love through it, and spread that message as well," said Bettcher.
The film is being produced by the "Safe Surfin' Foundation," in an effort to teach families how to avoid Internet predators.
Everyone involved hopes that message will save lives, when "Finding Faith" hits theaters next year.