Steven Grayhm spent over a decade writing and directing the locally shot film, “Sheepdog,” which screened publicly for the first time last weekend at the 40th annual Boston Film Festival. The film follows the story of U.S. Army Combat Veteran Calvin Cole (played by Grayhm) as he is court ordered into treatment for PTSD, and it depicts his personal growth after returning to civilian life.

During a Q&A session after the screening, Grayhm explained that during his research for the film, Retired Army Veteran George Rice gave him a memorial band from with the names of three fallen soldiers engraved in it. 

“He held this out to me and said, ‘don’t let me down.’ I’ve worn it every day since then,” Grayhm said. “I hope I haven’t let you down,” he said to an audience of veterans, gold star families and first responders.

Small town support

Prior to the screening, the cast walked the red carpet and took questions about the film, their characters and their time filming in Turners Falls and Greenfield. 

Virginia Madsen is one of the starring members of the cast, playing Dr. Elecia Knox, a Veterans Affairs doctor, tasked with helping Grayhm’s character cope with his trauma through therapy. The two characters explore the idea of Post-Traumatic Growth (PTG), showing audiences what a fulfilling life can look like after trauma, especially for veterans.  

“I think this is an important film for all of our troops and our veterans,” Madsen said. She reflected on how the film was an opportunity to express her feelings about the issue of veteran care — an experience she said was “fulfilling.” 

Referring to her time on set in western Massachusetts, she adds, “We froze to death” while filming, but she felt that the community was welcoming to the cast and crew. “I didn’t get a frown from anyone,” Madsen said. 

Lilli Cooper, who plays Calvin Cole’s wife, Alice St. Germain, echoed Madsen’s sentiments. A mother of two, she said she “brought a lot of myself” to her character, who she said “represents the homestead for veterans, which is really powerful.”

In many instances, the cast and crew were given access to valuable filming opportunities in the Turners Falls village, including filming inside the Strathmore Mill Complex. The start of the film depicts the mill’s closure, and the complex was used to film the VA scenes. 

During the Q&A, Grayhm said “it takes a village” to film a movie like this, and that without the support of community members like Bob Mason, who allowed them to film inside the mill, “I don't know what we would have done.”

Actor Dominic Fumusa plays a Montague Police Officer in the film and was given a uniform for filming. Although he said he didn’t have much time to spend with the Montague Police, he appreciated their generosity to allow him to film in uniform to be further immersed in the story. 

“When you make a movie in a place like that, the town and the environment becomes another character. I think you really feel that,” Fumusa said. “It’s so cinematic, beautifully shot and it looks terrific.”

Reactions to the film

An important element of the screening was the attendance of veterans and their family members, and first responders. U.S Army Command Sgt. Maj. Don McAlister, a veterans advocate who served over two decades in the military, said before watching the film for the first time that some parts might be hard to see, but that he was confident the movie would showcase a new perspective on veterans. 

“You see so many veteran films, and it's all the ‘woe is me, life's terrible,’ but how about, ‘Hey man, we got to face it, but we can get through it, because we got these guys.’” McAlister said about the film’s unique perspective. 

For McAlister, seeing himself and his fellow veterans in the story of overcoming trauma and finding fulfillment is important.

“I got to see the trailer and [Grayhm’s] character. I can see me, I can see him, I can see all these guys,” McAlister said, gesturing to his fellow veterans next to him. “It's telling their stories now in a real way, and that’s what we really need, not all the Hollywooded-up, cool-guy battle scenes everybody's seen ... What about the real struggle?”

After the screening, McAlister stood in front of the audience and cast to ask Grayhm a question, and offer his praise to the authenticity of the film.

“I gotta tell you, watching this movie ... you had ‘the look’ in your eyes, how did you do it?” McAlister asked Grayhm, adding, “I see so many guys try on screen and it never comes across as authentic.” 

Grayhm said he owes the look in his eyes to having sat with veterans over the years who had this same look. He also gave credit to the talent of the cast and crew to support him in these moments.

“Sheepdog” will now make the rounds of the film festival circuit, though Grayhm said there is no official theatrical release date. He said that he has been in discussion with potential distributors.

“If we’re able to save a single life with this film, it’ll be the greatest Hollywood success story,” Grayhm said.

More information on “Sheepdog”  is available online at the film’s Instagram page @Sheepdogthemovie, and on IMDB at https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9525878/. 

Erin-Leigh Hoffman can be reached at ehoffman@recorder.com or 413-930-4231.