The Keystone Cafe transformed from sleepy, ferry-side bistro to star-studded movie set Tuesday as the cast and crew of “Late Autumn” descended on the business.

Cafe owners Ray and Christy Kellison received a call last fall requesting a one-day “lease” of the Central Whidbey cafe, located in a scenic spot across from the ferry dock, for use as a movie set for the Korean film.

The starry-eyed couple and their son, Kole, continued to serve food and drink to regular customers, film extras and crew members during outdoor filming segments yesterday.

“It’s good for business,” Christy said.

Set trucks rode the ferry over and began arriving on scene about 5 a.m. Tuesday, said Line Producer Mischa Jakupcak as she sat at a corner table facing the ferry dock, folders and cell phone spread out before her. The team planned to make the most of their day, then pack up and move out by 4:30 p.m. for their return trip to Seattle.

“It’s a perfect location,” she said of the cafe’s proximity to the ferry landing and the picturesque surroundings.

Jakupcak describes the movie, starring South Koren actor Hyun Bin and Chinese actress Tang Wei, as a trilingual “melancholy love story.”

The film is mostly in English, but also includes a little Korean and Chinese, she said.

Most of the independent movie’s filming schedule is kept secret to keep Bin’s very dedicated and persistent fan base at bay.

The Whidbey Island scene will appear toward the end of the film, she said.

The seven-week project is currently in its sixth week and includes locations such as Pike’s Place Market, Pioneer Square, Queen Anne and Capitol Hill, among other well-known Seattle-area neighborhoods. The cast and crew also spent some time filming in Monroe.

If all goes as planned, “Late Autumn” will debut in three months at the Cannes International Film Festival in France from May 12 through the 23.