"THE VALLEY OF LIGHT," A NEW "HALLMARK HALL OF FAME" PRESENTATION STARRING CHRIS KLEIN AND GRETCHEN MOL, HAS BEGUN PRODUCTION IN PORTLAND, OREGON FOR BROADCAST ON THE CBS TELEVISION NETWORK

THE VALLEY OF LIGHT, a new "Hallmark Hall of Fame" presentation starring Chris Klein ("American Pie," "We Were Soldiers") and Gretchen Mol ("Picnic," "Calm at Sunset"), has begun production in Portland, Oregon for broadcast on the CBS Television Network. Based on the novel by Terry Kay (To Dance with the White Dog), the drama tells the story of a young World War II veteran, haunted by his war experience, who meets a mysterious stranger who sends him on a journey of self-discovery.

Noah Locke (Klein) returns home from the war to find that his parents have died, their farm has been sold and his younger brother is in jail. Saddened and alone with no place to go, he begins to wander the back roads of North Carolina and meets a mysterious older man, Hoke Moore (Robert Prosky), who suggests he go to a small mountain community surrounded by lakes in the Valley of Light.

Noah begins to settle down in the small community where he befriends Matthew (Zach Mills), a mute boy who has lost his father, and Eleanor (Mol), a young widow whose husband committed suicide upon his own return from battle. Noah also possesses an extraordinary gift for fishing and makes some money selling his catch to the town's residents.

Matthew warms up to Noah and spends as much time as possible with him which eases the loneliness he had felt. Eleanor also begins to change as their friendship blooms. Finally, Noah's life is taking a new direction until tragedy strikes the small community and he must decide if he really belongs there or should move on.

THE VALLEY OF LIGHT is a "Hallmark Hall of Fame" Production. Richard Welsh ("Back When We Were Grownups") is the executive producer. Andrew Gottlieb ("In Love and War") is the producer. Brent Shields ("The Magic of Ordinary Days") will produce and direct from a script by Camille Thomasson ("The Magic of Ordinary Days").