HARMONY — The borough has a place in cinema history, and it will soon add to its big screen legacy.

The town will host shooting Sept. 28 and Oct. 1 for scenes for “American Pastoral,” a film directed by Scottish award-winning actor Ewan McGregor and produced by Lakeshore Entertainment.

“It's a great opportunity to show off our talent and have the other part of the country see what the small town is all about,” Mayor Cathy Rape said.

“It's a positive (for the area), especially if it's a major production,” said Historic Harmony President John Ruch.

No stranger to cinema, the borough and other localities have enjoyed serving as settings for major film productions.

The 1991 Japanese-American drama “Iron Maze” starring Jeff Fahey and Bridget Fonda had three scenes shot in the borough. Although the film didn't fare well in the U.S., it won “Best Screenplay” at the Tokyo International Film Festival and was appointed to the Sundance Film Festival for the “Grand Jury Prize.”

Ruch said the Harmony Museum exterior, The Diamond and the location now known as The Exchange on Mercer Street were used for scenes.

The 1996 film “Diabolique” was shot entirely in the Pittsburgh area, with some in Harmony.

However, it was a box office failure. The psychological thriller starred Sharon Stone and Kathy Bates. Stone was nominated for a Golden Raspberry Award for “Worst New Star” as the new “serious” Sharon Stone.

The now-defunct Thompson's Restaurant was in the film.

In 2011, “River of Darkness” was released direct-to-DVD. Starring Kurt Angle and other pro wrestling veterans Kevin Nash and Sid Eudy, the horror film had several scenes shot in Harmony in 2009.

The borough building, the First National Bank in Zelienople and other buildings were shown.

The “American Pastoral” film shoot will feature a simulated explosion. A fake post office will be destroyed for one of the scenes.

The film is based on the 1997 Pulitzer Prize-winning Philip Roth novel of the same name and marks McGregor's directorial debut.

Dawn Keezer, Pittsburgh Film Office director, said the Pittsburgh region, including Harmony, is attractive to film agencies because of its variety. It offers more diverse opportunities while being timely and efficient for production purposes.

“They (directors) can make it look like they've gone to a lot of different places without leaving one spot,” she said. “You can be in downtown Pittsburgh and in 20 minutes you can be in farm land. But in half an hour, you can be in the rolling hills.”

“In downtown we've made it look like San Francisco or New York,” she said.

She also said that since the state's Film Production Tax Credit in 2004, production companies have more financial incentive to come here.

“It's transformed the way we've been able to do business and grow this industry,” Keezer said.

Ruch said the borough doesn't take enough advantage of its prominence in cinema.

“From a tourism standpoint, no one has done much to capitalize on it,” Ruch said. “It's an opportunity several of us haven't taken advantage of yet and should.”

Overall, 18 known films have been made in Butler County including the 2009 movie “The Road” in Jackson Township starring Viggo Mortensen, Charlize Theron and Robert Duvall, and the horror cult classic “Night of the Living Dead,” which was filmed in nearby Evans City.

“They're (Evans City) the community that's really promoted that and for good reason,” Ruch said. “People really want to see where films were done.”

Keezer said since 1995, the Pittsburgh metropolitan area has been the site for more than 135 feature and TV films.

For the Oct. 5 shoot, Rape said businesses and venues will actively serve the film crew. She said the museum will serve as a dressing room for the cast and the Harmony Moose will have a food truck available.

“It seems like some areas are benefiting from them coming to town,” Rape said.