Every April anglers rejoice in Missoula, Montana to watch the Montana Fly Fishing Film Festival, a small grassroots fly fishing film premiere that showcases a selection of films that all anglers can relate to. This is “The Most Fun You Can Have Off the River!†The premiere kicks off this next weekend in Missoula, MT on Saturday, April 23rd at the Dennison Theatre. The tour has TBD dates in Spokane, WA, Seattle, WA, Portland, OR, Billings, MT, and Whitefish, MT. We caught up with co-founder Matt Devlin to learn more about the film festival. Check out the full interview below.
Flylords: Can you tell us a little more about the Montana Film Festival, what is it and how did it start?
Matt: The Montana Fishing Film Festival is a grassroots event highlighting anglers fishing close to home, mostly in Montana and the greater Mountain West. It is approachable, inclusive, and FUN.
We strive to show people from all walks of life enjoying the sport. Our mission is to make fly fishing more accessible for more people, so that men and women all over the world may experience the positive effects of our favorite pastime.
The fest started 9 years ago in a little theater in Missoula, MT. A good friend of mine had made a film about some friends fishing in Montana and we wanted to show the film to some people. 16 minutes didn’t seem like enough content so we built out a lineup, and sold tickets–the film fest was born!
We have now held shows in 6 states and countless venues. We often hear from our attendees how fun and refreshing our shows are.
Flylords: What films can we expect to see this year?
This year we have 8 films. Half of the films happen to feature female anglers and two films are completely featuring women as well as shot and edited by a female filmmaker Katie Falkenberg.
We also strive to bring diversity to the space. We have films shot on some of the famous Montana rivers, as well as deep in the backcountry. We have films with lots of fish, and some that are much more story-driven. Some of the trailers are available on our website.
Flylords: Where can someone watch this film premiere?
APRIL 23 in MISSOULA MONTANA. Tickets are live and available on the website. We are also finalizing our Pacific Northwest run of shows and have already held 2022 showings in Helena and Livingston. Please stay tuned for a digital release at the conclusion of the tour!
Click here for more information on the Montana Fishing Festival, and if you are in Missoula next week be sure to snag your tickets here for the premiere on April 23rd, 2022. Follow along with @mtfishingfilmfest on Instagram.
