Directed by Scott Ballew, the 34 minute “short” film is so much more than fishing in the late 1960s and ‘70s. Key West, Florida was known for fishing, and during that period, several people from the arts world moved there – writers, musicians and others who created a great community to work on their craft and enjoy the sport. The stories are legendary and now the world can view the film to learn more about them. The film premiere of the short documentary film was at the Telluride Film Festival last September.
The writers and musicians include Tom McGuane, Jim Harrison, Guy de la Valdéne, Richard Brautigan, and Jimmy Buffett, featuring interviews with those still living in the past few years as the film was shot. There is also footage from a 1973 documentary titled Tarpon, by de la Valdéne and Christian Odasso. At the Q&A, the director stated that Buffet had passed away at the time the film premiered at the film festival. Harrison died in 2016, and de la Valdéne also last year.
McGuane is now 84 and based in Montana. His interview is the most extensive and includes his wife Laurie who is sister to the late Jimmy Buffet. McGuane is well known for “Ninety-two in the Shade,” “Panama” as well as “The Longest Silence.”
There is so much to learn about all these individuals and their lives in their youth and over the decades. Fishing was a big part of their lives, but what stands out to me is the friendship and bond they developed and lasted so long. It is so much more special since most of them have passed on.
Yeti has the “Yeti Presents” film series established a little less than a decade ago. Yeti produced the new film and has launched it for free on YouTube and across its digital channels. Maybe it did not start out as a film about authors and musicians, but their stories are significant among the many who enjoy fishing in general and specifically to Key West. The cinematography is fantastic, especially of the fishing -those that were caught and the ones that got away.
Don’t let this film get away.
Source: Yeti Presents
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