“Dryland” Documentary movie based on Lind debuts on Feb. 22

After a decade of work, the documentary “Dryland” has reached completion and will make its debut at the prestigious Big Sky Documentary Film Festival on Feb. 22. The film debuts with many Lind locals being present at the festival with high anticipation and excitement for the project finally coming to fruition.

The movie began when Sue Arbuthnut and Richard Wilhelm stumbled upon the Lind Combine Demolition Derby and met two young hopefuls who captured their attention, and eventually became the subject of the documentary.

Arbuthnut said it was a chance occurrence they discovered the derby and when attending the drivers meeting for combine drivers, they met Josh Knodel and Matt Miller, two young Lind natives and combine demolition competitors. Knodel was 18 at the time and was driving in the competition for the first time, while Miller assisted in the pit crew.

The story of a small community swelling to over 10 times its size for a single weekend each year caught the attention of the film duo and they began learning about the Lind community and the history behind the derby.

The strong agricultural background of the community enthralled Arbuthnut and Wilhelm, the creative force behind Hare in the Gate Productions based in Portland, as did the struggles rural communities face every day as they battle to remain as a viable and thriving town.

They began their journey following Knodel and Miller’s life as the two young men set out to pursue their passion for farming and the struggles they encountered along the way. The documentary also highlights the men’s involvement with the Lind Combine Derby, where they began as competitors and have now become leaders of the annual event.

The documentary follows Miller and Knodel through their time away from the farm, the worries around Knodel being able to return to the farm to fulfill his passion of working with his father, and the parallel track the two best friends took in order to return home to serve the community of Lind.

“It’s just an exciting story for young people who are interested in agriculture and involved in their community,” Arbuthnut said.

“The heroic effort to revitalize the community is a great model for other small towns,” she added.

Arbuthnut explained the film producers found inspiration constantly throughout the community, and through the people they met along the way. The documentary also highlights many of the Lind residents involved with the creation of the Lind Combine Derby and how their legacy lives on today through the next generation of individuals like Miller and Knodel.

“When you’re talking about a farming community, you better have patience. It’s a long view to the future, and that’s what inspired us as filmmakers over the long process. Patience is really a key, and you just keep going no matter what,” Arbuthnut said. “You’ve been inspired by the families in the film … and the way they view what they do, their legacy with their farms and the hoping they do something productive with their farms and in the world.”

Composer Mark Orton, who recently scored the movie “Nebraska”, joined filmmakers Arbuthnut and Wilhelm on the project. The soundtrack helped provide the documentary with the final touch needed to debut the film, and Arbuthnut is proud to be sharing the moment on stage with the Lind natives who star in the film.

While Miller is unable to attend the debut, Knodel joins the filmmakers on stage on Feb. 22 and will answer questions from the audience at the conclusion of the hour-long documentary. Many family members from the Miller and Knodel family are making the trip to Missoula to share in the experience.

“It’s only a few hours from where the film is set, and that’s a really neat place to launch the film,” Arbuthnut said.

After the initial debut, Arbuthnut hopes to screen the film at multiple locations, including the Ritz Theatre. While they are unsure of when the film could be debuted at the local theater, Arbuthnut is hoping local citizens have an opportunity to see it by fall.

Arbuthnut said the filmmakers are happy to finally share this story with people and to highlight the journey of two young farm kids, as well as display the strength that can be found within a community to revitalize itself.

To watch the three-minute trailer, find the movie’s page on Facebook, or visit http://drylandmovie.net.