CARY - The North Carolina filmed romantic feature, The Longest Ride, hits theatres nationwide this Friday, April 11.

Filmed in New Hanover, Brunswick, Duplin, Onslow, Surry, and Forsyth counties, the feature is the latest novel from North Carolina author Nicholas Sparks to be turned into a feature film. Starring Scott Eastwood (Fury, Trouble With The Curve), NC-native Britt Robertson (NC-filmed Under The Dome, Cake, and the upcoming feature Tomorrowland) and Alan Alda (M*A*S*H, What Women Want), the film is the story of a young couple who meet at a professional bull riding event and have their lives intertwine with a much older man as he reflects back on a lost love while hes trapped in an automobile crash.

The Longest Ride was directed by George Tillman, Jr (Soul Food, Faster) and produced by Fox 2000 Pictures, who later this year will also release the NC-filmed feature Paper Towns.

Production on The Longest Ride took place over the course of over approximately 200 days last spring and into the summer. It was one of more than 50 productions who registered with the North Carolina Film Office in 2014 that combined are estimated to have had a direct in-state spend in excess of $316 million while creating more than 3,000 well-paying job crew positions for the states highly skilled film professionals and 19,000 total job opportunities over the course of 3,300+ production days while filming in more than 35 of states 100 counties. In addition to The Longest Ride, highlights of productions that filmed in the state last year include the television series Under The Dome, Sleepy Hollow, Banshee, and Secrets and Lies; feature films Masterminds, The Choice, Max, and the previously mentioned Paper Towns; and independent features The Disappointments Room, SXSW Film Festival selection One & Two, Tribeca Film Festival selection Ashby, and Blue Mountain State-The Movie; as well as national commercials for Dannon Yogurt, Pepsi, Xarelto, Purina and Burger King.

Watch the trailer for The Longest Ride below:

For More Information

Official Movie Website for The Longest Ride

The Longest Ride IMDb page