Kenmore resident stars in Buffalo-based film
by JILL SCHMELZER Ken-Ton Editor
It came to Sam Miserendino in a dream. A twisted tale about a man who's stuck in an uneventful marriage but is reawakened after befriending a beautiful woman who is literally out of this world.

Guy Balotine

But it wasn't until Miserendino met his wife, Tosca, that the duo decided to turn the dream into a film - "My Wife and My Dead Wife," starring Kenmore resident Guy Balotine.

The British actor said his character is stuck in a rut, and he is so overwhelmed at work and with his wife that he and Tracey B. Wilson, who plays his living spouse, move into an old 19th century Queen Anne-style home.

After the husband and wife move into the neighborhood, Balotine's character, "Graham," encounters a hauntingly beautiful woman - the dead wife - who may or may not be a figment of his imagination.

Through his encounters with the ghost, Balotine said, Graham loses all sense of reality.

"Without really knowing, he becomes a part of the dead wife's spirit world," Balotine said, noting the audience is left not knowing whether or not his experiences are real.

The movie was filmed at a home in East Aurora in August 2004 and took approximately two and a half weeks to complete.

"It was scary because a lot of the scenes took place in the attic," Balotine said, adding that much of the filming

took place at night. "It was a great atmosphere. It was kind of creepy, and I swear it's really haunted."

Tosca Miserendino, who co-produced the film with her husband, agreed.

"Shooting there was really creepy," she said, noting that some scenes were filmed in downtown Buffalo.

"I realized day one this was going to be an exciting adventure," Balotine said.

The 40-year-old moved to the Kenmore area four years ago from San Francisco. Prior to coming to the United States, he studied theater in England where he grew up.

"My Wife and My Dead Wife" premiered in June 2006 at the Riviera Theatre, and was picked up by York Entertainment. The film will be released publicly on Tuesday, Aug. 7.

The Miserendinos' production company is Kiki-Gao Inc. "My Wife and My Dead Wife" is their second film produced in Buffalo.

Also starring in the production are Jane Bacon, Matt Mesler, Kelleigh Murray and Gary Gaffney. Chris Santucci was the director of photography, Geraldine Duskin was costume designer and Paul Rubenstein scored the film.

The movie is 82 minutes long and will be available for purchased at www.amazon.com, www.yorkenter tainment.com and www.mywifeandmydeadwifethe movie. com.