Livingston City Commission members voted unanimously on Monday night to allow a controversial movie production to resume filming within the Montana town. The decision, which concluded a tense, seven-hour meeting attended by over 120 residents in person and 150 online, brings an end to a temporary permit suspension issued just two days prior. Sitting cross-legged on the floor and spilling over into the hallway and adjacent rooms. Roughly 150 more tuned in online, more than 120 people crammed into the Livingston City Commission meeting. News stories and social media accounts had spiraled over the drama: This tension over a movie in a small Montana town appeared to be a microcosm of immigration and culture-war drama seizing communities all over the nation, over about two weeks. Detractors of the production took issue with the process, too, but soon after filming began.
The film, which is affiliated with the Daily Wire, centers on an ICE agent confronting Antifa protesters and members of the MS-13 gang. While the project features high-profile actors such as Danny Trejo and Harvey Keitel, it has drawn significant ire from local residents and business owners. According to a leaked script working under the title “Pawn Shop,” the movie includes plot lines that critics claim serve as thinly veiled references to the death of Renee Good and the case of Kilmar Albrego Garcia. But later turns out to be a key player in MS-13, a detained immigrant claims to be innocent. The bulk of the movie is an over-the-top action flick starring Danny Trejo and Harvey Keitel, according to a leaked call sheet — a movie opponents criticized as rife with guns, gore, explosions and conservative tropes, while the film contains echoes of real-life incidents.
Opponents have characterized the project as a “gross” action film saturated with gunfire, gore, and explosions. Protester Brooklyn Wilde dismissed the 87-page script as “bullshit” during a late September interview, and community members have expressed frustration over a lack of transparency regarding the production’s impact on the neighborhood. Local business owners, such as Taylor Wallace, who operates an adjacent coffee shop called The Gem, reported that they received no notice of the shoot. Wallace stated that his staff faced harassment from security guards and were unable to perform basic tasks, eventually forcing him to close his business. A copy of which was reviewed by Montana Free Press, the film’s protagonist shoots a protester as she drives maniacally into his car, killing his law enforcement partner, in the script.
The Livingston Food Resource Center also raised concerns, stating in an October press release that the production failed to notify them of filming plans. The center alleged that the film’s security team obstructed access for cars and bicycles, which contributed to an 18-week low in pantry attendance. Addressing these public safety and access concerns, local resident Bex Frucht argued that both food security and the spread of misinformation regarding the production constitute significant community issues.
During the meeting, the production team faced pointed criticism. Commissioner Cindy Daniels described the situation as a “runaway train,” accusing the producers of exploiting the local environment for profit. Conversely, lead producer Dallas Sonnier argued that the permit pause was politically motivated, stating, “Government cannot suppress lawful expression simply because an audience objects to its message.” Sonnier and other production representatives detailed challenges they faced, including death threats and the doxxing of crew members’ personal information after a truck drove through street-closure barricades.
Local producer Ari Novak testified to the commission, acknowledging the difficult atmosphere and expressing a desire to reconcile with neighbors. “I’m sad that we’re all gathered here under these circumstances,” Novak said. “In five days from now, much of this film crew will leave. I will still be your neighbor.” Production representatives pledged to comply with all permit regulations for the remaining days of the shoot, including ensuring access to the food pantry. Including keeping a local food pantry open and accessible, reining in private security activity, and continuing signage and notifications to impacted neighbors, producers pledged to abide by permit regulations. And I want to be a good neighbor to people I have like-minded ideas with and disagree with.”.
City attorney Jon Hesse advised the commissioners that their decision should be based strictly on whether the production violated the specific terms of its permit, rather than on the content of the film. Commission chair Melissa Nootz noted that the city currently lacks a robust framework for managing such large-scale film productions, admitting, “We don’t have the ordinances and codes in place to meet the wants of our community.”
Richard Gray, co-founder of the nearby Yellowstone Film Ranch, defended the economic contribution of the industry, noting that film productions have generated thousands of jobs and tens of millions of dollars in the region over the last decade. However, community members like Yetta Stein of Elk River Arts and Lectures countered that immediate economic benefits do not supersede the physical safety and well-being of local residents.
The commission’s move to reinstate the permit allows filming on the set—which includes a faux Minneapolis pawn shop and a Korean grocery store—to continue through Saturday. Commissioner James Willich, who kept detailed records of the proceedings, noted the exhaustive nature of the public debate, remarking on his “24 pages of notes” before concluding that it was a “new record.”
