MOVEMENTS

14 minutes

Director: Colin Scott

Cinematographer: Nathan Corbin

A Wilder Studio Production

Original Symphony by Joaquín Gomez

 MOVEMENTS is the symphonic saga – in four parts (RAINBOW, STEELHEAD, MUSKY, STRIPER) – of three Alaska fishing guides who, following the close of the summer season, road trip their way home in a 2003 Dodge Caravan (best known as ‘Van-a White’ and for its lack of a reverse gear) from AK to NYC. From an Alaskan paradise to a literal Gomorrah in four short weeks – arriving in Time Square on Halloween night – MOVEMENTS is a stunning 14-minute showcase of what North America has to offer in terms of its diverse beauty and angling opportunities, and an invitation to rediscover where and why we fell in love with fly fishing in the first place.

Alaska is a veritable Eden. Where generations have pursued its pristine abundance and, many times, in the name of fish. However, like the swift hand of God, winter strangles the land, freezes the waters, and expels any astute angler from paradise. MOVEMENTS is the symphonic saga – in four parts (Rainbow, Steelhead, Musky, Striper) – of three Alaskan fishing guides who, as fall gives way to winter, fish their way east across North America to their homes in New York City.

Catching up with our trio anglers on the tail end of their guide season, windows are being boarded and motors hung, but we gain a glimpse of what Alaska has to offer – bush planes, jet boats, and big rainbows – when the weather begins to turn. Time to go, our anglers – traveling in a 2003 Dodge Caravan best known as ‘Van-a White’ and for its lack of a reverse gear – leave Eden in their rearview in pursuit of British Columbia’s wild steelhead.

The reentry into Canada is a gentle one as low populations, big country, and bigger fish remains consistent with Alaska. Clear skies, grandiose river valleys, and countless steelhead keep our anglers spirits buoyed as they move further east toward America’s heartland in search of something far more ominous and elusive… musky.

From floating the untouched wilderness of the Canadian Rockies for chrome steel to scanning Wisconsin’s black depths for neon green monsters, our anglers’ mood has shifted. Slinging twelve-inch flies at bleak banks dotted with cheese factories and hostile dogs, with nothing to show for it, bring our anglers to an all-time low. However, a momentous day of roping these prehistoric flesh-eaters rights spirits but the impending sense of dread is hard to kick. With Eden so far behind, the eerie gloom of the black Wisconsin stream can’t help but feel like a River Styx – and our boys are crossing over…

Arriving in New York City on Halloween night, our three anglers have exited Eden and entered a literal Gomorrah over the course of four short weeks. Catapulted back into the noisiest, brightest, and most debaucherous society has to offer, our trio finds solace on Long Island Sound stripping for stripers. The senses continuously assaulted by squawking gulls, roaring JFK jets, or Montauk mansions, our anglers are all smiles because they are home – a special kind of paradise.

With stunning cinematography and its own original symphony (in the vein of Vivaldi’s ‘Four Seasons’), MOVEMENTS serves as a showcase for what North America has to offer in terms of diverse beauty and angling, but also as an invitation to explore and rediscover where and why we fell in love with fly fishing. It was doubtfully on the sandy beaches of the Seychelles or the raging waters of the Zambezi, but rather close to home. Whether you’re from Edmonton, Madison, or Brooklyn, MOVEMENTS should encourage you to hop in an old jalopy with family or friends, take a little road trip, and fish for something… anything.

Fly Fishing Film Tour 2019 is coming! check your local show and book your tickets early: https://flyfilmtour.com/