“Red Right Return” wraps in Rehoboth

For writer-director George Manatos, filming his debut feature “Red Right Return” in Rehoboth Beach was a no-brainer.

“Ever since I was 6 or 7, I’ve been going down to Rehoboth for the summers. Since I moved to New York City, I’ve been going down to my family beach house. It’s kind of like my escape from the city,” he said. “The area means a lot to me. It really made sense to shoot down there.”

Originally from Bethesda, Md., Manatos said it was important to shoot in a place that was very familiar. The main house in the movie is his grandparents’ home in Henlopen Acres.

Manatos said neighbors were very receptive to the small, 10-person crew. Manatos, who has previously directed two short films, said he kept the shoot small so the crew could get around easily and to give performances a more intimate feel.

“I couldn’t have expected a better outcome,” Manatos said.

The shoot took place from April 30 to May 16, mostly in Rehoboth, with some additional filming in Lewes, Dewey Beach, Georgetown and Dover. Manatos said he tried to avoid local landmarks in the movie to keep the focus on the story.

“The story takes place in the offseason. I kind of prefer it in the offseason; it’s very intimate and quiet. We kind of avoided those summer, beach landmarks. We kind of hope this is a lesser seen side of Rehoboth,” he said.

Still, one local icon will be featured: Robin Hood Restaurant on Rehoboth Avenue, which was used for diner scenes.

“We’ve known the family that owns that for years, and they’re just amazing people,” Manatos said. “That’s our go-to spot when I’m in town.”

The film is a family drama about two brothers who were once close and now need to lean on each other.

“The structure is dramatic, but there are light moments. We really want to make it feel like you’re at this beach house,” Manatos said.

The main character, Ian, played by Cris Lankenau, has just gotten out of rehab and returns home. Lankenau, who starred in the critically acclaimed independent thriller “Cold Weather,” helped Manatos write the script.  Ian’s brother, Colin, is played by veteran actor Leo Fitzpatrick, best known for his roles in Larry Clark’s “Kids” and in the first three seasons of HBO’s “The Wire.”

“It was really nice to have two guys who are really contrasting on-screen. They really pulled that off,” Manatos said.

The title is a nautical reference that Manatos used to hear his father say. While the story itself is not personal, Manatos said he wanted to keep the title personal to remind him of childhood. The title also ties into the Ian character returning home. Manatos said the film will be taken back to New York for editing. H hopes it will be finished in time to submit for fall festivals.

“We have high hopes for it. As with any independent film, you just hope to get into festivals and get your film scene,” Manatos said. “Just to get it seen is important for us.”

Still, there’s one place in particular he would like to have the movie seen.

“I would love to play at Rehoboth. I’m a huge fan of that festival. I think it’s my mom’s favorite thing to do down there. It would mean a lot to me,” Manatos said.