Producers took "based on a true story" to a new level in the inspiring film, "Until Forever," featured at Life Fest Film Festival in Los Angeles. "Until Forever" follows the love story of Michael Boyum, whose plans of building a future with his girlfriend, Michelle, are compromised by a rare form of leukemia. To ensure an authentic portrayal of Michael's incredible story, producers and the real life Boyums went to great lengths to use many of Michael's personal belongings and filmed at actual locations. Here are 15 amazing facts that helped make this heart warming Christian movie true to the story that inspired it.
1. The Bible that the Michael Boyum character uses in the film is Michael Boyum's actual Bible.
2. The memorabilia that is placed on the walls in Michael's hospital room during the movie is what actually decorated his room. His mother, Bonnie Boyum, carefully preserved the cards, pictures, and notes.
Michael's mother, Bonnie kept the cards, pictures, and notes.
3. The actual Boyum and Larson homes were used as sets. (Michael's girlfriend was Michelle Larson.)
4. The karate co-instructor in the movie, Dave Gardner, was Michael Boyum's karate At the location where the actual Michael Boyum taught karate.
5. The karate scenes took place at the Community Center in Inver Grove Heights, where Michael practiced and taught karate. Stephen Anthony Bailey wore Michael Boyum's gi for all the karate scenes in the movie.
6. About the Pigmobile ... Michael Boyum drove a delivery truck for a BBQ company named Lloyd's. He also used it to pick up his girlfriend, Michelle, for dates. It was pink with a pig decal on the side. The producers changed the name to "Three Pigs BBQ" and added ears and a tail.
7. The prom scene in "Until Forever" was shot at the high school in Hot Springs, SD. At the time of filming, actual students were having their homecoming dance and came over to the gymnasium to be extras for the scene.
8. Stephen Anthony BaileyStephen Anthony Bailey, who played Michael in the film, wore Michael Boyum's bowtie in the prom scene.
9. The football team uniforms and cheerleader outfits representing the Spartans were provided by Simler High, Michael Boyum's high school.
The local high school provided uniforms for the film
10. The football scene in the movie was shot on the Bison's field in Hot Springs. The Hot Springs team played the parts of the Bisons and the Spartans
11. Bethlehem Baptist Church, where the wedding takes place, is the church where Michael and Michelle Boyum were married.
12. Michael Boyum's brothers, Matt and James, play groomsmen in the wedding scene. Other family and friends are in the wedding and memorial scenes.
13. Tyler, who played a male nurse in the movie, lost his father to cancer. He wore his father's scrubs in the movie to honor him.
14. The memorial scene in the movie was shot at the cemetery where Michael Boyum is buried.
15. Fall River Health Hospital allowed "Until Forever" to take over three rooms, a sitting area, and a nurse's station to shoot the hospital scenes. After filming, "Until Forever" made a location donation, which Fall River Hospital used to buy furniture for their new nursing home.
"Until Forever" is available on PureFlix.com. Watch "Until Forever" and thousands of other Christian movies for free when you sign-up for a free month trial. Start your free month today.