Directed by Wyatt Maw, shot on S16mm over the course of 8 years, Ashland examines the hopes and dreams of young people, horse whisperers, Indigenous elders, and mystics, all living today in the sacred lands of Eastern Montana.
In today’s landscape, there’s so much to the documentary world which is propelling us forward, exploring the potentially, or inevitably, disastrous results of issues like AI, climate change or the state of the political machine, with rising levels of oppression and persecution. Not to mention all of the other films depicting countless tragedies and injustices, so it’s a refreshing change of pace when a filmmaker uses the artform to instead take a step back and remind us of something good in the world. That’s exactly what Wyatt Maw does with Ashland.
It would be hard for any cinema fan to deny how satisfying it is to watch film unfold on actual film. The aesthetic Maw, along with co-cinematographer Hatti Beanland, creates is beguiling, warm and, a word which will come to mind ceaselessly while watching Ashland, wholesome. It’s effortless to sit back and watch it thread together all of this fantastic footage with such an earnest, loving, respectful atmosphere.
Partly because the editing from James Carson, Ivete Lucas and Lance Edmands is excellent. Their work gives the film such a smooth, natural flow, it’s able to pull together all of these different lives and passions, and genuinely make them all feel like pieces of one communal entity. There’s also a lot of wonderful themes featured throughout the film, particularly in how Ashland’s subjects hold a sincere respect for the land. It’s something you’ll almost always see in films exploring Indigenous communities, being such a core value but in this case, it expands to all of those featured, which is lovely to see.
It also opens up an interesting conversation about the international perspective of the US, as many years ago, this lifestyle and landscape would have been what many people pictured as the quintessential American way, but that image has now drastically shifted. To the point that many people probably don’t imagine that this way of life even still exists, so Ashland may be surprising viewing for some.
Ashland is a touching reminder of how many out there are still working hard to preserve traditions and heritage. It’s made with an endearingly positive, loving touch, and holds a presence filled with wisdom and respect. There is a plethora of superb footage, captured with an engaging, heartwarming, wholesome tone and an incredibly satisfying aesthetic. Wyatt Maw keeps the style simple with his debut feature and smartly so as it’s a perfect reflection of the subjects and themes of the film.
