Dunedin itself stars in latest movie to be filmed in Pinellas County

DUNEDIN, Fla. - It’s not every day you hear a director shouting the word, "Cut!" in Dunedin. However, the Hollywood term has become commonplace over the last few weeks.

The small Pinellas County town has become the main filming site of "A Taste of Love," a romantic comedy about a young woman who returns home to find herself and falls in love with an old friend.

In an unlikely Hollywood move, writers kept the town’s name for the movie.

"Dunedin is the name of the city in the film," said Tony Armer, St. Pete/Clearwater’s film commissioner. "The local businesses, and the local restaurants you see are the actual names of the businesses in the film."

"We filmed at Sea Sea Riders [Restaurant], and the Wild Iris and the Fenway," shared producer Lincoln Lageson. "It makes it so much easier for us that we don’t have to come in and try to make this town look like something else. We can embrace all that Dunedin has to offer. It’s been fantastic.

Also local? The dozens of extras you’ll see.

"The film requires a lot of extras in the background," said Armer. "We actually had more than 8,000 people submit their information to be an extra in the project."

FOX 13 News caught up with actor Jesse Kove, who plays the male lead character. He says the Florida humidity has been a nice break from the dry heat of Los Angeles.

"You know, the weather has its own personality, for sure. The team has been working around that. Having all of this rain and thunder – I like it, it’s a lot of fun for me," explained Kove.

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Several Hallmark-style films in the past have been shot in the Pinellas County area, most recently in 2019. Kove believes post-pandemic, these types of movies are needed now more than ever.

"I think it’s important that these movies get out there, and people feel good knowing that we’re still making these movies, and there’s still love and romance going on," he added. "And that’s whether it’s in the movie business or even in real life."

The film is expected to be released in early 2022.

Jesse Kove is starring alongside his father, Martin Kove, whom you may know from 1980’s ‘The Karate Kid’ franchise.

Producers say the film will likely be released on a channel like Hallmark, or a streaming service such as Netflix.