Swamp Rabbit Inn and Properties has hit the big time folks! The Swamp Rabbit Inn location in Travelers Rest was used as part of a movie set this past summer and is now officially listed as a filming location on IMDb (Internet Movie Database). Ethos Movies - a motion picture production company located in Greer, South Carolina - was scouting locations for it’s upcoming film Operation Resist when it came across the Swamp Rabbit Inn in Traveler’s Rest. Swamp Rabbit Inn and Properties happily welcomed the studio and film crew with open arms, and we’re all very eager for the release of Operation Resist.

Founder James Moran started Ethos Movies back in 1995-1996 as a student project with forty-five cast volunteers, fifteen crew members, a few hundred dollars and a super VHS camera. It has since grown into a privately owned motion picture production company that strives to produce feature films, commercial productions, educational productions, and historical documentaries that both inform and educate audiences.

See below for the film summary from Ethos’ website and the first mini trailer:

During the reign of the Nazis, a Jewish girl named Miriam survives a home invasion by fascist soldiers. Miriam finds allies among a secret branch of the Resistance, and together, they work fearlessly on a courageous escape plan. This intense family-friendly action movie pays tribute to the courageous resistance community who risked their lives during the Holocaust era to protect the lives of the innocent.

You will find The Swamp Rabbit Inn Travelers Rest listed on the Supporters page of Ethos’ website here. The world premiere of Operation Resist is set for April 19, 2019 in Washington D.C. Subscribe here for updates on when and how to see the film. We can’t wait!

In this week's video, Greenville resident and "Chopped Grill Masters" competitor Jeff Rhino Bannister and I discuss our favorite restaurants in Greenville, SC and Travelers Rest, SC.

About Jeff Bannister

Bannister is currently a resident of Greenville, but is originally from the small South Carolina town of Holly Hills. 25 years ago, he and his family left the country behind and headed here to the city where he started Bovinoche, the whole animal open fire cooking event in Columbia, SC. "We use some very unusual ways to cook animals," says Bannister. "It's whole cows, lambs, a bunch of other stuff." Bannister is known locally amongst the Greenville food scene, but he's known nationally from his TV appearances on shows like the Cooking Channel’s “Man, Fire, Food,” and Anthony Anderson’s “Anthony Eats America,” to Food Network’s “Chopped Grill Masters."

Greenville and Travelers Rest Food Scenes

"Greenville has got a great food scene and Travelers Rest has got one that's even, just...will blow your mind away," exclaims Bannister. Bannister continues to enjoy the rapidly growing food scene here in Greenville, but has been focusing on the one in Travelers Rest as of late; taking advantage of the smaller boutique establishments that push out high quality food and environments.

“That’s what’s so awesome about these local businesses, is the product is such quality and they’re there,” explains Lynn. “You develop this relationship with their food, and their product, but also with them.” Bannister notes that the food scene in Travelers Rest ten years ago was nonexistent in comparison to what it looks like today. With restaurants like Sidewall for pizza, Monkey Wrench Smokehouse for barbecue, the best cocktails in the upstate - according to Bannister - at Rocket Surgery, the cafe at Williams Hardware for sandwiches, and more.