New movie '5,000 Blankets' tells Keller family's true story
KELLER, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) — A Keller family is about to see their lives played out on the big screen. The movie "5,000 Blankets" opens in theaters on December 12. It's a Hollywood production sparked by a story first seen on CBS11.
We first met Cyndi Bunch and her son Phillip more than 15 years ago when they started a charity called Phillip's Wish. It began when Phillip's father developed schizophrenia and left his family to live on the streets of Fort Worth. Bunch says her son worried about how his father and the other homeless people would stay warm in the winter.
The mother-son duo started collecting blankets with a mission to help the men and women Phillip said most people didn't see. "They've taught me to be more of a generous person, not to just keep everything for yourself," Phillip told CBS11 in 2008.
Bunch says a screenwriter contacted her after seeing a CBS11 report. "And he says, 'Okay, how much do you want for your story?'" Bunch recalled. "I said, 'Oh, if you could just buy me $100 worth of blankets that would be cool!'"
After years of delays, the script was eventually picked up by Affirm Films, a Christian film studio owned by Sony.
Cyndi and Phillip, who is now 25, visited the set in Fayetteville, Arkansas where they consulted with the actors and watched the movie come to life.
Bunch says even after spending time getting to know actress Anna Camp, seeing the celebrity play her on the big screen was weird. "It was like, whoa! It was kind of funny. You see Anna, her face is everywhere and it's like... that's me!"
Bunch is hoping moviegoers will be inspired to do their own good deeds. "I hope they walk away with the feeling that these people are human and everybody struggles."
Phillip's Wish has expanded to include sleeping bags, coats, and a food pantry, all run by volunteers. You can find out more about their mission here.
The film "5,000 Blankets" hits theaters in limited release on December 12th and 13th.