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TaylorÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s new film, ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œIn the Name of Me and You,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥� tells the fictional story of a young man who suffers from addiction caused by prescription pain medication. However, the struggle is shared by his family ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” especially his father, who is a pastor.

While SundayÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s screening is a private one, a public screening is expected to take place the following weekend, with a time and date to be determined.

Having not dealt with addiction himself, Taylor said his goal with the film, along with co-writers Barry Dailey and Ammie Ruddle, was to portray how the effects of addiction extend beyond just one individual.

ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œAs much as we want people who are in that recovery world to see this, we think itÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s just as important, if not more important, for people who are not to watch it,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥� Taylor said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œBecause this is also us, and we have to look at it that way if weÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™re going to make the changes.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥�

ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œIt will show perspectives from what different realities may be like for people, and I think any and everyone who watches it, no matter who you are, might identify with a character,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥� he added.

Taylor said the film includes actors who have experienced addiction, as well, and that he and his co-writers extensively educated themselves on the topic before writing the fictional feature.

David Lavender, director of the West Virginia Film Office, said Taylor takes a different approach to a familiar story.

ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œFor an area like the Tri-State, where weÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™re so faith-based and faith is so intrinsically part of who we are, itÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s definitely a unique spin on that story because we know that itÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s happened before,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥� Lavender said.

Although the movie was filmed in Huntington, Taylor said it neither tells HuntingtonÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s story nor depicts the area in a bad light.

ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œEven if it seems like somebody who we know and even though itÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s filmed here, people who live all across the country are not going to know itÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s Huntington; theyÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™re going to be like, ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥˜Hey, that reminds me of my people,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ and theyÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™ll be encouraged, too,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥� Taylor said.

While Taylor is not on the screen in this film, the actors in ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œIn the Name of Me and YouÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥� are all relatively local, including actors from the Tri-State, Cincinnati, Ohio, and Bridgeport, West Virginia.

Lavender said the film office is happy to have a creative from ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œthe home teamÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥� sharing their creations in the state. TaylorÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s film is one of many being produced by the film office this year.

ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œThe last two years have been super hard for the film and TV industry ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥” COVID first, and then the actors and writers strike last year,ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥� Lavender said. ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥œSo, anytime that a story goes from being a story in your head to captured on film and then releasing that to the public to see, itÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥™s a true celebration.ÃÛÁÄÖ±²¥�

Although plans for distribution of the film are not yet set in stone, Taylor said he hopes to eventually have it available on streaming services.