This coming week, part of the valley will be transformed into the Afghanistan countryside as crews film a battle scene for an upcoming feature film called Painkillers.
    The film, starring Canadian actors Colm Feore and Tahmoh Penikett, best known from Battle Star Galactica, is  a modern day thriller and crews will be shooting in Drumheller for two days.
    Calgary based producer Andrew Ferns says they will be filming in a location in the eastern part of Drumheller to shoot a battle scene. Earlier this week, technical staff was in the valley making preparations.
    “It is a modern day piece and a bit of genre bender between science fiction and psychological thriller,” said Ferns.
    He explains Major Cafferty, played by Penikett, wakes up in an institution with no memory and is told he was the leader of a squad of Marines who were sent on a mission in the mountains in Afghanistan.
    “They want him to get over his obvious extreme PTSD and amnesia,” said Ferns. “As the movie progresses he begins to realize they are not Marines but mercenaries… and the friendly doctor, played by Colm Feore, is not that friendly.”
    “At its root, Cafferty’s story is about a man, who, as a mercenary, is very removed from his family, cannot talk about where he goes or what he does and has a sense of guilt and remorse. So he is trying to get back to his family and back to himself.”
    The bulk of the shooting will be in Calgary at a decommissioned Carewest Facility in Bridgeland, as well as created sets. It is expected to be in production for about 15 days, starting January 20. This is Fern’s first time working in Drumheller.
    “We are very excited, and we are excited about the weather forecast,” chuckles Ferns, adding they scouted the location in -32 degrees Celsius weather.
    During the shoot, he says residents may hear the sound of automatic gunfire, however he says there are not going to be any explosions.
    The film is produced by Liberation Pictures, an Alberta owned company and it is directed by Canadian Peter Winther, who is now based in the U.S. Much of the cast and technical and creative crew is Canadian. 
    

    
    On Thursday, January 16, the Drumheller RCMP assisted Alberta Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) in seizing what appeared to be more than 100 cattle from a property east of Drumheller, commonly known to be owned by the Graham family.
     According to Roland Lines, communications manager for the ASPCA, there were concerns about animal welfare and a notice was posted at the property for 24 hours previous, informing the owner they would be attending.
    “Our officers did attend a property in Drumheller, the RCMP accompanied us,” said Lines. “It does relate to cattle… there were welfare concerns and we gave them 24 hours to address them.”
    ASPCA officers, as well as a veterinarian and Drumheller RCMP attended to the property Thursday morning. They used all-terrain vehicles and horses to round up the cattle into a holding area. There were also unconfirmed reports of some deceased animals.
    “Our officer makes the decision in the field, and always considers what is in the best interest of the animals’ welfare,” said Lines.
    Byron Graham, who said the court has ordered him to take care of the animals, which belonged to his late parents, arrived on site at about 2 p.m. with a truckload of hay. At this point, he declined to comment on the situation.
    Late Thursday afternoon, the animals were loaded on to waiting cattle liners.
     In the spring of 2011, about 136 horses and 200 cattle were seized from the same property, and charges were laid. These matters are still before the court.