Tight lines
Documentary Film
Synopsis
Cole, a young student burdened by the dread of school, abandons his academic future to embrace a life of full-time fishing. Drawn to the sea by an ancestral calling, he grapples with the tides of regret, torn between his desire for self-determination and the inescapable pull of his family's fishing legacy.
Director: Matthew Johnson
Advisor: Heather Cassano
Artist Statement
The Connecticut shoreline has been such a substantial part of my life. Seeing other neighboring small fishing boats along the Connecticut River and Long Island Sound intrigued me to ask how these people live their lives in such a difficult industry. When I met a local fisherman named Cole, it was as if I was looking in a mirror. Although we do vastly different work, his age and values mirror my own, and his internal struggle regarding his decision to quit school and fish full-time is something I can relate to as I consider my own career decisions. This film seeks to challenge the inevitable hard choices in life, ultimately trying to answer if we’ve chosen the right one.
Biography
Matthew Johnson is a Connecticut based filmmaker who has a specialized interest in amplifying the voices of unknown people through film. Raised on the Connecticut shoreline in Old Saybrook, Matthew now studies at the University of Connecticut pursuing a BFA in the Digital Media and Design program, concentrating in Film and Video Production. His work draws deep inspiration from the everyday lives of ordinary people, in which he shows more than the perceived notions of them and unpacks the true aspects of everyone.
Matthew has used this perspective to win seven different awards for his work including Best Film and Best Cinematography at the Quiet Corner Film Festival in 2022 with Pain is Temporary and First Place in the 2024 University of Connecticut Student Television Film Festival with Just a Piece of Freedom. Matthew continues to produce intimate films that share these unknown stories with a wide range of audiences.
