Maine Filmmakers Launch Grassroots Theatrical Run of New Movie Saving Black Bear

The sophomore feature film from the Cassidy Brothers is a love letter to indie film, indie cinemas, and the state they call home

Orono, Maine — August 5th, 2026 — When Nick and Cash Cassidy brought their movie Childish Things home to Maine last year, they knew they'd found something special. The movie business they'd learned from time in Hollywood asked them to wait their turn, trust the system, and beg acceptance from film distributors if they wanted their movie to be seen. But hosting their own screenings in the community that raised them — and packing the theaters — proved there was a better way. So with their next film, the brothers doubled down on Maine.

Shot on location in Orono, Saving Black Bear is a coming-of-age comedy-drama that celebrates the communities that shape us. On-screen, the film tells the tale of a fictionalized Black Bear Cinemas in hard times and the misfit employees who fight to save the independent theater that brought them together. Off-screen, Mainers came together to make this film a reality.

In addition to the Cassidy Brothers, who hail from South Portland and Cape Elizabeth, Saving Black Bear stars South Portland native Julia Steady and legendary character actor Xander Berkeley, a Cornish resident known for Terminator 2, Apollo 13, and The Walking Dead.

“Zach Hussey, the owner of Black Bear Cinemas, offered to let us shoot something in his theater when we screened Childish Things with him last year. Community support like that is what makes Maine special and made Saving Black Bear possible,” says director Nick Cassidy.

“I've seen too many people waste years waiting for permission from Hollywood to succeed in the movie business. We knew there had to be another way, so we took a chance, and we found it here at home,” says producer Cash Cassidy.

Now, after a sneak preview at the Vacationland Film Festival in Biddeford on August 23rd, Saving Black Bear will return to Black Bear Cinemas in Orono for its World Premiere on September 9th, then continue to its Portland Premiere (sponsored by StreamState) at O'Maine Studios on September 13th. Additional screenings and more can be found at the Saving Black Bear official website.

For media inquiries, please contact:
Cassidy Brothers
Email: cassidybrotherspictures@gmail.com
Phone: (207) 200-7870

Cassidy Pictures is an indie film production company founded in 2024 by brothers Nick and Cash Cassidy, based between Los Angeles and South Portland, Maine. Grounded in a grassroots, community-driven approach, Cassidy Pictures tells stories centered on authentic performances and real, relatable characters. Their debut feature is Childish Things, and their latest is Saving Black Bear.