01 Jun Round Up: River Therapy

Joshua Caldwell’s new film, Mending the Line, isn’t your typical movie about war. Following screenwriter Stephen Camelio’s cues, the film’s story explores the restoration of John Colter, a wounded veteran haunted by the trauma of war. In Livingston, Montana, he meets an unlikely pair who help him on his path to recovery. In the end, headstrong fly fisherman Ike and photographer-turned-librarian Lucy — who are both struggling in their own ways — follow along on Colter’s journey as he receives treatment for his wounds. He wants only to re-enlist — to have something to die for. The real challenge, then, is finding something for which to live.

In theaters nationwide this summer, Mending the Line casts Sinqua Walls (John Colter), Brian Cox (Ike Fletcher), and Perry Mattfeld (Lucy) against the backdrop of Paradise Valley, Montana, just north of Yellowstone National Park. The film, which received a Big Sky Film grant in 2019 that fueled its initial production, evokes a rich tapestry of emotion, juxtaposing the chaos of war with the serenity of Montana.

This setting is near and dear for Camelio, who lives in Montana with his family. After serving in Vietnam, Camelio’s father was diagnosed with a rare form of cancer caused by exposure to Agent Orange. Camelio witnessed his father’s battle with cancer and related journey through the Veterans Affairs system. “As an avid angler who was writing for many fishing publications during my father’s battle with cancer and after his passing in 2013, I often took solace on the rivers of Yellowstone National Park and Montana,” Camelio says. “It was during these forays into the outdoors that I experienced the healing power of fly fishing. Through these experiences, I also came up with the story that would become Mending the Line. Though I didn’t know it when I was writing, the story also owes a great deal to my mother and the strength she has shown in my father’s absence.”

“Also, by making the conscious decision to set the story in my adopted home state of Montana and featuring places where I fish, work, and live, I sought to bring my personal experience to the script, while capturing the essence of Montana’s wild places that captivate all who immerse themselves in them,” he adds.

Likewise, the director experienced his own connection to the film. After participating in an Orvis fly-fishing class, Caldwell became passionate about the sport and now enjoys fishing his home waters in Upstate New York. “For me, there are few things that match the feeling of catching a fish on the fly,” he says. “It takes you outside of yourself, requires your focus to do it properly, and gets you outside amidst nature. I have always wanted to make a movie about fly fishing but didn’t know how to do it until I read Stephen’s script.”

The grandson of a commander in the Navy, Caldwell was equally drawn to the script for its in-depth exploration of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). “I’ve been exploring the military and the effects of PTSD for a number of years now in various projects,” he continues, “but this is the first to bring everything together into a story that I believe can have real impact.”

Mending the Line will premiere in Montana at the Emerson Center for the Arts and Culture in Bozeman on June 8 and will be in theaters nationwide on June 9. Visit bluefoxentertainment.com/films/mending-the-line for tickets and information.