Movie stars, locals and locals turned movie stars — at least 470 people from Hollywood, around Louisiana and right down the street came out for Wednesday night’s U.S. premiere of the film “In the Electric Mist” at the Grand Theatre in New Iberia.

The movie, parts of which were filmed in New Iberia, Jeanerette, St. Martinville and surrounding areas in the early summer of 2007, is based on local author James Lee Burke’s “In the Electric Mist with Confederate Dead” and all the proceeds from the event go to benefit local not-for-profit Southern Mutual Help Association.

Michael McManus, general manager of the Grand Theatre in Bayou Landing Shopping Center, said three of the 10 individual theaters at the Grand were dedicated to the premiere, including the two largest. Due to fire regulations, some seats had to remain empty, but the 470 available tickets for the three theaters combined sold out, said co-producer Deborah Dobson Bach.

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Bach read messages from the stars who could not be there prior to the showing. Mary Steenburgen, who has been back to New Iberia twice with her family since the filming, said she was “heartbroken” she could not be there, saying of all the many places she’s filmed, “New Iberia most captured my heart.”

Gouguenheim owner Chris Jordan and Gouguenheim manager Patty Williams said many cast members have returned “quite a bit.”

“The good thing about New Iberia — they’re able to come here and just be people,” Jordan said.

At $35 a person, with sales of posters and auctioned items as well, that adds up to a nice boost for the Southern Mutual Help Association, though the figures are not yet in as to how much exactly was raised.

Many services were donated, with Peltier’s Catering providing food and The Gouguenheim providing space for the event free of charge.

Lorna Bourg, president and executive director of SMHA, has said the organization is “honored to have our work supported by the producers, writers and actors.”

Bourg said it was Burke’s decision to donate the proceeds to SMHA, which helps “build healthy, prosperous rural communities in Louisiana” and has been active in hurricane recovery.