DON’T LET THE BEARD FOOL YOU. I DO ENJOY TINY UMBRELLA DRINKS. The latest film from Eight Foot Squid Productions mixes romance with the “caper of a lifetime.”

Grand Theft Matrimony is a labor of love, both the movie and the crime itself. For the last three years executive producer Jason Boehm of Eight Foot Squid Productions has been working with a local crew to create a feature film and it’s finally ready to hit the big screen. The public premiere will be on June 24 at the Downtown Cinema in Eau Claire. 

After Fenris Unchained – a 2009 horror movie by Eight Foot Squid – Boehm wanted to work on a new film, particularly a romantic comedy. That’s when he had the idea: What would it be like if someone stole a wedding? After bouncing the idea back and forth with his roommate, he started writing and the project took off.

Grand Theft Matrimony follows the trials and tribulations of Jordan and DJ, two newly found lovers who attempt to pull the “caper of a lifetime” in a ridiculous, funny and entertaining plotline.

Shooting was done mainly over the month of May 2010, but the last shot was finished just eight weeks ago. Boehm doesn’t sugarcoat the fact that the film was a lot of hard work and that the cast and crew pushed each other every day, but he maintains it was rewarding. And while there were years of film and production experience on the crew, Boehm said it was just “a bunch of pals (getting) together and (having) fun for a month.”

While there’s still work in showing and distributing Grand Theft Matrimony, Eight Foot Squid already has their sights on a new film, so make sure to check out this premiere so you can say you knew them before they hit it big.