Film written by Burrillville man, Sunday cartoon artist set to showcase at two upcoming festivals

BURRILLVILLE – A movie created by Burrillville resident and NRI NOW Sunday cartoon artist Jim Weicherding will be showcased at the Boston International Film Festival and the Block Island Film Festival in the coming months.

Outlaw Run, a short based on Weicherding’s book and ongoing monthly magazine series, will have a private screening at IMAX Theaters on Central Wharf in Boston in April. In Rhode Island, it will screen during the three-day Block Island festival in May at a second New England film event that attracts stars, distributors, agents and screenwriters from across the globe.

“Everyone involved with Outlaw Run is doing backflips right now and very excited about where this is headed,” Weicherding said.

Known locally for his award-winning traffic safety effort and coloring cartoons series, Weicherding filmed the movie locally, including stunts and high speed police chase scenes shot at Thompson Speedway in Connecticut.

Featuring his own 1969 Pontiac GTO built especially for the movie, Outlaw Run is based on a book of the same name published in 2012. The story takes readers on an action-packed ride inside the vehicle, built by Lav’s Muscle Cars in Punta Gorda, Fl., and driven by protagonist Etch, a custom glass, window and mirror craftsman.

At the festivals, the artist plans to have the car on hand, along with Outlaw Run merchandise, including apparel.

The idea to transform Weicherding’s work into a film began with interest from producer and director Dawn Natalia. The pair founded Outlaw Run Productions last year.

The short was nominated for Best Short Drama and Best Film Stunt at the International Motor Films Festival, as well as Best Narrative Film at the Grand Motoring Film Festival in 2025, and Weicherding said he believes more nominations will be coming.

He said more on-screen entertainment based on his work is also on the horizon. A pilot based on his horror story Night Chillers is now in editing, set to come out in March, and that distributors are anticipating what stories he comes up with next to produce this year.