On Dec. 1, 2022, Sight & Sound Films released "I Heard the Bells," a feature-length film that marked the beginning of the company's foray into the world of movie production. The film, which follows the story of famed poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, was shot almost entirely in Lancaster County and was shown in theaters across the country.

Sight & Sound Theatres, the parent company of Sight & Sound Films, is known in the area for the many stage productions that it offers throughout the year, and it hopes to continue its expedition into film with more movie productions. "We are excited to take our storytelling beyond the stage," said Katie Miller of Sight & Sound Theatres.

The production team filmed at several locations in Lancaster County and near Sight & Sound Theatres, including downtown Strasburg, the Strasburg Rail Road, Landis Valley Museum and Hope Episcopal Church in Manheim. "We live in such a rich land, both historically and visually," said Josh Muffley, production manager for the film. "We felt that we had a lot of resources at our disposal right in our backyard, which granted us the ability to accurately re-create things from the time period."

The film was also shot at a handful of locations outside of the county, the farthest away being the Longfellow Museum in Boston. Many scenes were filmed in Gettysburg at a farmhouse owned by the Gettysburg Battlefield Preservation Association. The film takes place in the mid-19th century and depicts events from the American Civil War. The ability to use existing locations that were historically preserved and accurate for the time period saved Sight & Sound the time and money that would have been used to construct the sets. Although most of the scenes could utilize these locations, the production team built a set for the church that is featured in the beginning and end of the film. "It was such a specific and pivotal part of the film that we knew we wanted to take the time to build it early on," said Muffley.

The talent for the film consisted primarily of local actors, many of whom are currently performers and employees at Sight & Sound Theatres. Sight & Sound Films also partnered with a few living history groups to find actors, and performers came to Lancaster from as far as Virginia, New York and New Hampshire. For the primary speaking and second-tier roles, auditions were held at Sight & Sound Theatres early in production.

The film relays a message of hope in dark times, as it follows Longfellow's struggle with grief and loss amidst a civil war. "The reception has been overwhelmingly positive. People really feel like they can relate to or are inspired by the message of the film," said Muffley. "I Heard The Bells" was shown at around 1,200 theaters nationwide.