"Disgusting": Movie based on convicted "momfluencer" Ruby Franke is filming in Canada
“This is sick.”
People are expressing their disgust after learning a popular YouTube mom influencer, now known for being convicted of child abuse, is the subject of a new movie being filmed in Canada.
Earlier this year, Ruby Franke, an American mother of six, was sentenced to up to 30 years in prison. She admitted that she tortured her children, including her young son, who escaped Franke’s business partner, Jodi Hildebrandt’s, home. Last year, police had said that officers who responded to calls of a minor in need found the boy “emaciated and malnourished” and had “open wounds and duct tape around the extremities.”
CBS News reported that the Utah state prosecutor, Eric Clarke, had described the environment Franke’s children experienced as a “concentration camp-like setting” and said the mother “committed horrible acts of child abuse.”
Franke and Hildebrandt plead guilty to child abuse charges.
Mug shots of Ruby Franke (L) and Jodi Hildebrandt (R) (washco.utah.gov)
Movie in the works
Not even a year after Franke’s son begged a neighbour for help after escaping Hildebrandt’s home, people online say they are appalled to learn a movie is in the works.
A casting site for actors and productions shows a movie currently filming in Kelowna, BC.
The film is labelled an “MOV,” which stands for “movie of the week” and is commonly known as a lower-budget film. According to the Directors Guild Of Canada site, the budget for this production is between $1.2 million and $2 million.
According to the casting details, filming aimed to start on July 22, 2024, and finish on August 10, 2024.
The casting details also included a description of the movie’s storyline. According to the post, the film aims to tell the story of “the beautiful and popular Christian parenting vlogger, Ruby Franke.”
It goes on to say that after Franke searches for therapy to help “her family problems” she meets Hildebrandt, “who quickly earns Ruby’s trust and an unexpected and major influence in Ruby’s life.”
“Jodi soon becomes the therapist for many members of Ruby’s family, and Ruby’s direction in life and marriage start to change,” the storyline description reads. “As Ruby’s priorities change and are confusing to her family things only get worse when Jodi moves in with them. Ruby’s husband, Kevin [Franke], is highly skeptical of Jodi’s intentions but he loves his wife and supports her decisions, as difficult as they are to understand.”
“Eventually, the family is torn apart, and Ruby is forced to face the harsh consequences of her actions, which involve the neglect and abuse of her own children,” the post added.
Casting call for Franke’s son
According to the post shared on Casting Workbook, the production was looking for someone to play a “younger” version of Franke’s son, who escaped last August.
The casting sheet read that it was looking for a white 9 to 11-year-old boy who was “very thin and fragile in appearance.”
“Ruby and Kevin’s youngest son. He has five other siblings and idolizes his older brother… He doesn’t fully understand why his mom has changed so much and why his family is being torn apart,” the role description reads. “He misses how his mom used to be, and he starts ‘acting out,’ as Ruby would call it. He suffers neglect and abuse at the hands of his mother and Jodi.”
According to a production list posted on the DGC site, the film Ruby Franke is backed by Pender Productions Inc.
“Disturbing beyond comprehension”
One user shared the production list and casting details on Reddit. Since then, nearly 100 people have commented and shared their thoughts on the production.
After reading the casting details, one person said the role description left them “speechless.”
“Ruby Franke” is a MOW that is being filmed this summer in Kelowna, BC.
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“I’m an actor and I can’t imagine submitting for these roles! Waayyyy too real. The poor family,” one person wrote.
“This can’t be allowed to happen. This is disturbing beyond comprehension,” another person said.
“Wtf that is sick,” a Redditor added.
Many comments suggested it was too early for a movie to be produced, adding the children involved in the story “are still so young.” “And the crime happened so recently,” one person said.
“I was disgusted already by just the idea of a movie being made about this. After reading [the casting details]? I’m nauseous,” one person write.
“It’s disgusting this is happening, but every red cent they make should go directly to the kids 🤬,” another person said.
“This shouldn’t be allowed,” a Redditor added. “I really hope this doesn’t pull through.”
Daily Hive has reached out to Pender Productions and the film’s production manager.
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