West Bloomfield High Grad's Michigan-Made Film Set for 2013 Release

Early in his life, West Bloomfield High alum Sam Logan Khaleghi would watch movies when he wanted to escape. 

"I always wondered, is it possible to be the person who makes that?" Khaleghi said. 

Turns out, it is. Khaleghi has since become an accomplished producer, director, writer and actor. His latest project, For Love of Country: Approaching Midnight, will be released later this year. He got his start while in graduate school at Northwestern, where he spent his free time making a short film, Prison Boat. It was nominated for an Emmy in 2010.

As he pursued acting roles, Khaleghi talked with producers on movie sets about what their jobs entailed. He soon realized that his Master of Science in Communications from Northwestern University and Bachelor of Arts in Communications from the University of Michigan might serve him well. 

"I became aware that ... you don't need film school to be a filmmaker," he said. 

With a budget of less than $1 million, For Love of Country: Approaching Midnight tells the story of Wesley Kent, an Afghanistan war veteran who faces tragedy, and a mystery, as he returns to his home in Louisiana. Khaleghi plays the lead role; Jana Kramer, best known for her role as Alex Dupre on the hit television drama One Tree Hill, portrays Kent's girlfriend. Another cast member, Brandon T. Jackson, has signed to play Axel Foley's son in the television reprise of Beverly Hills Cop. 

Khaleghi said the story comes from his passion for the military. 

"Had I not done the movie thing, I would probably have been eyeing West Point," he said. "I have always had a strong sense of support for our military. I have a lot of close, dear friends who have served."

Khaleghi said he was also pleased to work with members of the Milford American Legion in the production.

Theatrical release, fundraiser planned 

While the movie is set in the Middle East and in Louisiana, the filming was done in Michigan. Khaleghi said an old, weathered gravel pit near Ann Arbor provided the Afghanistan backdrop and Beaumont Hospital stood in for Walter Reed Medical Center.

"With a little landscaping, Orchard Lake (in West Bloomfield) became a Louisiana bayou," he added. 

Though he made the film in Michigan, Khaleghi did not apply for tax credits reserved for film-making. 

"There's been a lot of bad press about people just being here to make movies because of the credits," he said. "I love being in Michigan, I moved back here from L.A. and I plan on making movies here."

Khaleghi said Emagine Entertainment has committed to offering one of their theaters for a red carpet premiere that will benefit a military charity. But first, For Love of Country: Approaching Midnight will be entered into an as-yet-undeteremined film festival. Khaleghi is also working with a major film distributor on plans for a limited theatrical release.

To learn more about For Love of Country: Approaching Midnight, visit approachingmidnightfilm.com