Tinley Park’s well-known Dairy Palace attracted a new audience as “Trash Mountain,” a movie that used the 73-year-old ice cream shop as a filming spot, debuted at the Toronto International Film Festival. Kevin Hoffmeister, the owner, expressed his excitement, saying that turning his shop into a movie set was enjoyable.
“Trash Mountain” will have two screenings in the Chicago area as part of the Chicago International Film Festival. The first will take place at 5:15 p.m. on Oct. 23 at AMC NEWCITY 14 in Lincoln Park, and the second at 3 p.m. on Oct. 24 at the Chicago History Museum.
The film, which stars Caleb Hearon, Zooey Deschanel, Jaboukie Young-White, Kyle Marvin, and Jacki Weaver, is directed by Kris Rey. It tells the story of a Chicago man, played by Hearon, who returns to his Missouri hometown to handle his late father’s belongings.
Hoffmeister noted the kindness of the film crew, who defied his expectations of Hollywood attitudes. The filming occurred last October, coinciding with the end of Dairy Palace’s summer season. At the conclusion of the day, Hearon generously bought ice cream for the entire crew, numbering over a hundred people.
A date for a wider release of the movie has not been announced. At the Toronto premiere, it received a 100% positive rating from 15 critics on Rotten Tomatoes.
Hoffmeister plans to take his employees to see the movie once it releases widely. He shared that Dairy Palace was chosen from several locations for the film scene.
“I guess it was like 10 of them, and they narrowed it down to us at the last minute,” he said. “The director liked our place the best.”
It was Tinley Park’s first experience with a movie shoot. Hoffmeister mentioned the local authorities needed some persuasion, highlighting the rarity of a movie being shot in the area.
The Dairy Palace, located at 16760 Oak Park Ave., continues to serve customers daily from 2 to 10 p.m. with its season extending as long as the weather is favorable. Hoffmeister encourages locals to visit, noting the shop stays open if the lights are on.
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