ATLANTA — Lake Lanier is unquestionably one of Georgia's most famous landmarks, though one that also comes with its own creepy urban legends.
That makes it arguably the perfect setting for a frightful feature.
But the filmmakers behind the upcoming "Lanier" have a little more on their mind than simply giving audiences a good scare, they're also hoping the picture sheds light on the area's dark history.
Before the construction of the Buford Dam in the 1950s, the site was the location of Oscarville, a thriving Black community full of carpenters, blacksmiths, bricklayers and farmers according to Georgia history teacher Lisa Crosby.
However, in 1912, Mae Crow, a 19-year-old white woman, was found dead in the woods near Oscarville, presumably after being raped.
That night, Crosby said, mobs gathered and drove the Black community out. The remnants of Oscarville would later be flooded with the creation of Lake Lanier.
11Alive previously spoke with the film's executive producers William Eric Bush-Anderson, Cindy Kunz-Anderson, and Ali Ashtigo back in 2022.
"It’s a super important story, and I think a lot of people wanted it to be told as well," Bush-Anderson said. "Because there is another Black Wall Street before it was taken away."
Their film, with Ashtigo as the lead actor, will have a horror and thriller spin to it.
"There’s a big audience for horror, it’s a different way to shine light on something that a lot of people deny to this day," Kunz-Anderson said.
The filmmakers emphasize that their approach is not a gimmick, but a way to draw attention to the purpose.
"Doing the movie the way we will be portraying it will be more of a wake-up call and that’s our goal," Ashtigo said.
"Lanier" will be available to rent on VOD starting September 16.