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Mending the Line
It was during these outings I experienced the healing power of fly fishing, and as a writer I channeled that feeling into the story that would become the film, Mending the Line.
Mending the Line
In the spring of 2019, director Joshua Caldwell and I stood on the banks of Depuy’s Spring, south of Livingston, Montana, with an alumnus of Warriors & Quiet Waters Foundation, a Bozeman-based non-profit and SIMMS partner that empowers post-9/11 combat veterans through excursions in nature and community building.
An Army infantryman wounded in the Middle East, he suffered from depression, suicidal thoughts, and substance abuse upon returning home to the United States. After trying all sorts of remedies that didn’t work, he was invited to go fly fishing in Montana. When he told us that he involuntarily started crying when he caught his first trout – a moment that kickstarted his healing process, Josh and I sensed the importance of the story we were about to tell and the responsibility on our shoulders to tell it right.
From left to right: Perry Mattfeld/Lucy, Sinqua Walls/John Colter, Joshua Caldwell/Director, Wes Studi/Harrison, Brian Cox/Ike Fletcher, Simon Gawesworth/Advisor
As avid fly fishermen, Josh and I already knew there are few things as therapeutic as standing in cool, moving water accompanied only by the rhythm of a fly rod and the possibility of connecting to a fish. Because of this, when my father was battling cancer caused by exposure to Agent Orange during the Vietnam War and after his passing in 2013, I often took solace on the rivers of Yellowstone National Park and Southwest Montana, including the Yellowstone, Gallatin, and Depuy’s, where we would later film scenes for the movie.
It was during these outings I experienced the healing power of fly fishing, and as a writer I channeled that feeling into the story that would become Mending the Line. The story was inspired by my dad, other family members, and friends, as well as countless veterans that served in our military, many in Vietnam and the Middle East. I am forever grateful to all of the individuals that lent their stories to this tale about finding something to breathe life into living.
In the film, John Colter (Sinqua Walls), a wounded veteran, returns to the States still carrying the demons of war, haunted and disturbed by the everyday expectations of friendships and love interests. At a V.A. hospital in Livingston, Montana, he meets Ike (Brian Cox), a surly, headstrong Vietnam vet and fly-fisherman more than twice his age, and Lucy (Perry Mattfeld), a talented photographer turned librarian who reads aloud to veterans, both struggling in their own way. While Dr. Burke (Patricia Heaton) treats his wounds, both physical and psychological, Colter wants only to re-enlist, to have something to die for. But his real challenge is finding something to live for, and through fly fishing he is able to start that healing journey.
Under Josh’s leadership, the production took great care to authentically portray both fly fishing and the military. “I wanted to take the audience on a journey alongside Colter. To throw them into the chaos of war and then transport them to the serenity of Paradise Valley, Montana. I wanted the film to feel like the flow of the river and to slowly reveal itself as the story unfolded,” says Josh. “I’ve been exploring the military and the effects of PTSD for a number of years now in various projects but this is the first to bring everything together into a story that I believe can have real impact. Telling this story is incredibly important because I’ve seen the difference something like fly fishing can make in the lives of those who are suffering.”
A truly independent film, this was a passion project for all involved. It goes without saying that this film does not get made without the support of the fly fishing community. That includes everyone from executive producer Mark Comora, a long-time board member of the American Museum of Fly Fishing, to companies like SIMMS, who outfitted the actors in shirts and waders, Far Bank, Tom Morgan Rodsmiths, Ro drift boats, No Leaf Clover nets, and Angler’s West Fly Shop in Emigrant, Montana.
Industry legends Simon Gawesworth, who worked as our casting instructor and advisor, and fisheries biologist Joe Urbani, who was our fish wrangler just as he was for A River Runs Through It, ensured our cast and crew understood the core element of fly fishing and the importance of fish handling and catch- and-release. As part of our drive for accuracy, we also partnered with the US Marine Corps, Warriors & Quiet Waters Foundation, and Casting Forward author, Steve Ramirez. From pre-production to the film’s release, we have been honored to have the support of Montana’s Big Sky Film Grant, Project Healing Waters, and Trout Unlimited.
By bringing out the passionate cast, crew, and everyone who supported the production, many of whom were fly fishermen, veterans, or had strong ties to the military or had to overcome emotional trauma in their lives, Josh shaped a universal tale of resilience and redemption, and in doing so created a blueprint for a how to start the healing process on the water that will hopefully help those in need of solace, support, and purpose.
Mending the Line is Streaming Now on Netflix.
In the spring of 2019, director Joshua Caldwell and I stood on the banks of Depuy’s Spring, south of Livingston, Montana, with an alumnus of Warriors & Quiet Waters Foundation, a Bozeman-based non-profit and SIMMS partner that empowers post-9/11 combat veterans through excursions in nature and community building.
An Army infantryman wounded in the Middle East, he suffered from depression, suicidal thoughts, and substance abuse upon returning home to the United States. After trying all sorts of remedies that didn’t work, he was invited to go fly fishing in Montana. When he told us that he involuntarily started crying when he caught his first trout – a moment that kickstarted his healing process, Josh and I sensed the importance of the story we were about to tell and the responsibility on our shoulders to tell it right.
From left to right: Perry Mattfeld/Lucy, Sinqua Walls/John Colter, Joshua Caldwell/Director, Wes Studi/Harrison, Brian Cox/Ike Fletcher, Simon Gawesworth/Advisor
As avid fly fishermen, Josh and I already knew there are few things as therapeutic as standing in cool, moving water accompanied only by the rhythm of a fly rod and the possibility of connecting to a fish. Because of this, when my father was battling cancer caused by exposure to Agent Orange during the Vietnam War and after his passing in 2013, I often took solace on the rivers of Yellowstone National Park and Southwest Montana, including the Yellowstone, Gallatin, and Depuy’s, where we would later film scenes for the movie.
It was during these outings I experienced the healing power of fly fishing, and as a writer I channeled that feeling into the story that would become Mending the Line. The story was inspired by my dad, other family members, and friends, as well as countless veterans that served in our military, many in Vietnam and the Middle East. I am forever grateful to all of the individuals that lent their stories to this tale about finding something to breathe life into living.
In the film, John Colter (Sinqua Walls), a wounded veteran, returns to the States still carrying the demons of war, haunted and disturbed by the everyday expectations of friendships and love interests. At a V.A. hospital in Livingston, Montana, he meets Ike (Brian Cox), a surly, headstrong Vietnam vet and fly-fisherman more than twice his age, and Lucy (Perry Mattfeld), a talented photographer turned librarian who reads aloud to veterans, both struggling in their own way. While Dr. Burke (Patricia Heaton) treats his wounds, both physical and psychological, Colter wants only to re-enlist, to have something to die for. But his real challenge is finding something to live for, and through fly fishing he is able to start that healing journey.
Under Josh’s leadership, the production took great care to authentically portray both fly fishing and the military. “I wanted to take the audience on a journey alongside Colter. To throw them into the chaos of war and then transport them to the serenity of Paradise Valley, Montana. I wanted the film to feel like the flow of the river and to slowly reveal itself as the story unfolded,” says Josh. “I’ve been exploring the military and the effects of PTSD for a number of years now in various projects but this is the first to bring everything together into a story that I believe can have real impact. Telling this story is incredibly important because I’ve seen the difference something like fly fishing can make in the lives of those who are suffering.”
A truly independent film, this was a passion project for all involved. It goes without saying that this film does not get made without the support of the fly fishing community. That includes everyone from executive producer Mark Comora, a long-time board member of the American Museum of Fly Fishing, to companies like SIMMS, who outfitted the actors in shirts and waders, Far Bank, Tom Morgan Rodsmiths, Ro drift boats, No Leaf Clover nets, and Angler’s West Fly Shop in Emigrant, Montana.
Industry legends Simon Gawesworth, who worked as our casting instructor and advisor, and fisheries biologist Joe Urbani, who was our fish wrangler just as he was for A River Runs Through It, ensured our cast and crew understood the core element of fly fishing and the importance of fish handling and catch- and-release. As part of our drive for accuracy, we also partnered with the US Marine Corps, Warriors & Quiet Waters Foundation, and Casting Forward author, Steve Ramirez. From pre-production to the film’s release, we have been honored to have the support of Montana’s Big Sky Film Grant, Project Healing Waters, and Trout Unlimited.
By bringing out the passionate cast, crew, and everyone who supported the production, many of whom were fly fishermen, veterans, or had strong ties to the military or had to overcome emotional trauma in their lives, Josh shaped a universal tale of resilience and redemption, and in doing so created a blueprint for a how to start the healing process on the water that will hopefully help those in need of solace, support, and purpose.
Mending the Line is Streaming Now on Netflix.
Mending the Line
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