Photo: Director Barry Tolli gives instruction to actor Robby Feagins
Rumor has it that the biggest adventures you can take in your life are the ones you dreamed about as a child, and Barry Tolli embodies this perfectly. His map of life was not on paper, but turned out to be a blueprint in his head. Tolli knew what he wanted, and put the wheels in motion a long time ago.
“At age 9 years old I declared to my mother that I was going to be a Dodger until I was 42, and then I was going to be an actor. At that time I realized that I had an obsession for movies and began to create small short films on my parents’ VHS camcorder,” said Barry.
Tolli met his wife Katy in acting class. “She is a way better actor than me and it is obvious,“ said Barry. “She carried me through numerous scenes as I was pursuing her. She has always been incredibly supportive and patient in the process, but on this one she was able to improve the movie with her leading performance. She does an incredible job with all the emotional scenes as well with her physical action. I couldn’t be more proud of the work she has done and can’t wait for the world to see her talent.”
The man who originally moved here to become the varsity baseball coach at Prescott High School did just that for three seasons before hanging it up to get back into his passion of film.
Barry is a film teacher and award winning filmmaker. He has directed 4 feature films, 2 documentaries, and multiple short films. He’s been a member of SAG-AFTRA since 2005 and has been cast in studio films for Sony, Universal, Columbia Pictures and more. He’s also been a principal actor in commercials for companies such as Vizio, Chevy, and Nike. He’s worked on projects with legendary directors Michael Mann, Frank Oz, and Peter Berg.
The films he’s directed have won more than twenty awards at festivals all over the country. His latest feature film ‘Jacob’s Lane’ will be released everywhere in 2026.
Barry was originally drafted by the Detroit Tigers out of high school and played four years of professional baseball for them and the Angels. He then went to Junior College and became a record setting wide receiver eventually accepting a scholarship to play Division 1 football at Utah State University. After college football he decided to pursue the film industry. He has a Bachelor of Arts Degree from California Lutheran University and a Masters Degree in Education from Arizona State University. He’s been happily married for over twenty years and has a beautiful daughter Laci.
Tolli said, “My passion and love for movies is the only reason that I can continue going through the extremely difficult and taxing process of movie making. It takes just about everything out of you and you are married to it usually for well over a year, However in the end it is all worth it.”
Tolli is coming off his first local film, a documentary short titled ‘The Wolf in The Chute’. The film garnered awards featuring local bareback bronc rider Braylon Johnson and was very popular at the Prescott Film Festival in 2024. The latest local gem titled, ‘Jacob’s Lane’ is about to be released nationally. “The original idea for the film came from local stories of gold miners in the area being raided and having to bury their gold to hide it from constant threats,” said Tolli. “From there a story of family history, sacrifice, and legacy came to mind. I dedicated this movie to my father because of his love for movies and his tireless effort to give my sister and I a better life than we had. These things resonate throughout the movie.”
Photo: Actor Travis Mills during his gunfight scene
‘Jacob’s Lane’ stars Travis Mills, Katherine Tolli, Derek Solorsano, and Robby Feagins, along with other local talent. Look for Tolli in the film as well. Mills gives a powerful performance in this film and is in the midst of an impressive streak showing off triple threats of talent. Along with acting, Mills recently directed ‘Frontier Crucible’ with Armie Hammer and Thomas Jane, and wrote ‘Thieves Highway’. Katherine Tolli equally delivers a powerful performance in ‘Jacob’s Lane’ as her character deals with pressure situations all around her.
The film is a gripping tale of family legacy and adventure. The film follows the journey of Lane, (played by Robby Feagins), who is the great-great grandson of Jacob Bonney (Travis Mills). In 1887 Arizona, Jacob discovered the world’s largest gold nugget but was mortally wounded and forced to bury his treasure. Over a century later, Lane embarks on an epic quest to find the lost gold and save his family’s ranch from foreclosure. There are actually two Feagins in the film as Robby’s dad, Kevin plays the bartender.
Photo: Nick Westerlund ready with the clapperboard as bartender Kevin Feagins is ready for a scene filmed at The Palace
The official trailer for the film offers a glimpse into stunning landscapes and dramatic action that define this modern western. Shot locally, you will surely recognize some of what makes Prescott such a beautiful place to live.
Next up for Tolli is another feature film in the vein of Reservoir Dogs/From Dusk to Dawn. ”It’s a very exciting project that will allow me to stretch myself as an artist. It is a completely different animal than Jacob’s Lane.”
Looking further down the road, Tolli wants to keep on the journey he is presently on, “I thoroughly enjoy being a film teacher and filmmaker and don’t see myself giving either of them up in the near future. I believe that being good at one makes me better at the other. I need to continue to push myself as an artist and technically and these allow me to accomplish both.”
The movie will be released nationwide this fall.
