Livingston County Producers Bring ‘The Legend of Ochi’ to The Little TheatreROCHESTER, N.Y. (April 21, 2025) — T

The Legend of Ochi, a new fantasy film produced by Livingston County residents Richard Peete and Traci Carlson, opens Friday, April 25, at The Little Theatre, 240 East Ave.

Written and directed by Isaiah Saxon, The Legend of Ochi follows Yuri, a shy farm girl from a remote village on the island of Carpathia, who embarks on a quest to return a wounded baby ochi to its home. The film stars Helena Zengel, Finn Wolfhard, Emily Watson, and Willem Dafoe, and features the work of seven puppeteers, four ape-suit performers with animatronic heads, and more than 150 artists and craftspeople.

Traci Carlson (left) Richard Peete (right)

Peete, a York Central School graduate and founder of the New York City-based production company Neighborhood Watch, is an award-winning producer known for Blue Ruin, Super Dark Times, See Know Evil, and Netflix's Killer Sally. His directorial debut, In My Own Time: A Portrait of Karen Dalton, screened at The Little in 2021.

Carlson, also a co-founder of Neighborhood Watch, has produced films such as Menashe, See Know Evil, Super Dark Times, and The Lumineers' III, with her projects screening at festivals including Cannes, TIFF, Sundance, and SXSW. She is a former Sundance and Film Independent Producing Lab fellow and an Indie Spirit Award nominee.

The Little will also host a sensory-friendly screening of The Legend of Ochi at noon on Sunday, April 27. This screening will feature dimmed lighting, lower sound levels, open captions, and a welcoming environment for audience movement and expression.

Founded in 1929, The Little Theatre Film Society is a nonprofit organization dedicated to showcasing independent, international, and classic films, along with hosting art shows, film festivals, and live performances.

Peete and Carlson will join audiences for a post-screening Q&A after the 7 p.m. showing on Saturday, April 26. Tickets for the Q&A screening in The Little's historic Theatre 1 are $12 and available at the box office or thelittle.org.

More information and the film trailer are available at thelittle.org/the-legend-of-ochi.