YP RADIO: "Mending the Line," filmed in Montana, premiers in Bozeman
June 8, 2023
An award-winning movie filmed in Montana premieres Thursday in Bozeman.
Yellowstone Public Radio’s Orlinda Worthington reports on the film that recently won the Valor Award, at the San Diego Film Festival.
(Trailer from Mending the Line) “Ever been fly fishing? I think it could be good for you. Go there.”
Mending the Line is a story of two former soldiers who find healing after the trauma of war through fly fishing. One wounded in Afghanistan, the other a Vietnam War veteran who teaches the younger trooper to fish.
(Trailer from Mending the Line) “ It ain’t easy, it takes practice. Do your recon.”
The story makes a connection with the Warriors and Quiet Waters program based in Bozeman. But it is personal experience by the film’s writer, Stephen Camelio, that inspired him. We spoke before the writer’s strike. Camelio shared this statement:
“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. As every fly fisherman knows, 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 a rising fish.”
Army veteran Larry Weidinger, of Three Forks, went through the Warriors and Quiet Waters program eight years ago. He’s now a volunteer and works with the foundation. He says the movie does a good job depicting the program, with one exception.
“The character Ike in the movie plays this very gruff, hard to get along with,”
(Trailer from Mending the Line) “Who’s the kid? Ah, some VA sob story. Then you two should get along great then.”
Larry Weidinger says, “That is the one thing that is completely opposite about what WQW does. Everybody who volunteers or works here at WQW just makes all the participants feel like they’re home, feel like they’re loved, feel like they are supported.”
He says the film does capture the most important part of the program.
