A film crew has been working in and around the Oakdale and Riverbank areas recently, shooting scenes for ‘The Weight of War’ movie.

Emmanuel McCord (Homestead, Ransom Canyon), Avianna Mynhier (Blue Ridge, The Walking Dead), Bailey Chase (Homestead, Longmire), and six-year-old rising star Vayda Garrett (Kale V) have joined the cast of the military-drama The Weight of War which has begun production in Central California.

Also rounding out the cast are Brandon Tyler Moore (Boots, Murdaugh: Death in the Family), Kellie Martin (ER, Life Goes On), Kevin Lawson (Homestead, Blue Ridge), and Brett Tomberlin (A House of Dynomite, The Madison), along with social media moguls Comedic Cody Smith and Kadin Kerns.

The film, produced by Jodie Garrett (Abigail, The Fostered) and directed and written by Gunnar E Garrett Jr. (Abigail, The Fostered) tells the story of a wounded soldier who returns home from Afghanistan missing a sense of purpose. As he battles addiction, survivor’s guilt, and a system that’s forgotten him, he must find the strength to face his past and rediscover the will to live, for the family and brothers who still need him.

“As of the moment we are set to release in the summer of 2026,” said Gunnar E Garrett Jr.

Among the locations utilized for filming – with the local production scheduled to wrap up on Nov. 19 – were Jacob Myers Park in Riverbank, the town square in both Riverbank and Oakdale, Bistro 120, 1OAK Gym, a small ranch outside of town, and an Airbnb in Oakdale.

Raw, grounded, and deeply human, the film explores what happens after the battlefield. When Sergeant Clayton returns home physically broken and haunted by the loss of his best friend, he discovers the hardest fight isn’t overseas, it’s the one inside his own head. Torn between despair and redemption, his journey forces him to confront the invisible wounds of service. Gritty, emotional, and ultimately redemptive, The Weight of War is a powerful reminder that healing isn’t just about surviving the war, it’s about surviving the return.