The Hard Way is a story about patience, craft, heritage, and the quiet lessons a river teaches—told through the life of Warm Springs guide and tribal member Matt Mendes. Directed by award-winning filmmaker RA Beattie, filmed by Beattie and Arian Stevens, written by Miles Nolte, and produced by Tim Harden, RA Beattie, and Miles Nolte, this film invites viewers to slow down, breathe, and reconnect with the deeper meaning of the outdoors.
Set along Oregon’s Deschutes River, the film moves through all four seasons as Mendes shares the challenges, humor, and hard-earned wisdom that come from a lifetime on the water. From his grandfather—recognized as the first Native American guide on the river—to the shifting pressures of modern guiding life, Mendes’s story is one of resilience, responsibility, and gratitude.
The film opens with a powerful introduction from Chief Jefferson Greene, spoken in the Warm Springs language of Ichishkiin, grounding the narrative in the cultural and ancestral history of this landscape.
Want to buy a digital copy of this film? You can purchase a digital download version of the film at offthegridstudios.com: https://offthegridstudios.com/products/the-hard-way-film-digital-downlo…
Distribution:
The Hard Way has already traveled widely, screening across the United States and around the world through the Fly Fishing Film Tour, the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour, and the Bend Film Festival. Its selection in these respected circuits reflects the film’s resonance well beyond the fishing community—connecting with audiences who value authentic storytelling, cultural depth, and the quiet beauty of place-based filmmaking.
Film Credits:
Directed by: RA Beattie
Written by: Miles Nolte
Cinematography: RA Beattie & Arian Stevens
Produced by: RA Beattie, Miles Nolte
About Off the Grid Studios:
Off the Grid Studios is a media house dedicated to authentic, story-driven outdoor films that celebrate people, place, and purpose.
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