There’s a new gang in the Black Hills – at least in the new film “Dawn of Conviction,” which was filmed in western South Dakota this past June. The film was created and produced by a group of student film makers from Fairfield University in Connecticut.

From the details posted on their website, the film sounds to be an exciting western which takes place in the 1880’s in Dakota Territory. The main plot surrounds three brothers who have to make some tough decisions about which is more important: loyalty and promise or greed and personal gain.

The brothers, who begin as even-tempered loggers, quickly turn to crime and gun-fighting as the story unfolds. The temptation to gain personal wealth overshadows the family ties that bind, at least for some.

Much of the production was filmed in the Black Hills area and there are quite a few recognizable locations shown in the previews on the “Dawn of Conviction” web site. If you look closely, even the 1880 train out of Hill City makes a guest appearance.

The film appears to be very well done and is definitely one that I’d like to see once it is made available to the public. As far as I can tell from their website, the film is still in the editing stages, but will hopefully be available for viewing soon.

Until then, check out the trailers and synopsis for “Dawn of Conviction” at their website and see how many Black Hills landmarks you can spot.