Why would a 44-year-old Canadian actor who never served in the military spend 14 years writing, producing, directing, and starring in a movie about an American soldier with post-traumatic stress? And how does it feel to devote so much time and energy to a project that’s winning lots of major awards at lots of independent film festivals prior to its national release?
Those were the questions I asked myself as the credits rolled on a remarkable movie called “Sheepdog,” which takes an unflinching look at a subject a lot of people would prefer to ignore. I’m not in a position to answer either of those questions, but happily, I did have a way to connect with Steven and invite him onto the podcast to answer these and other queries about a film that demands our national attention.
Perhaps, if more studio executives in Hollywood cared this much about the plight of our veterans, their plight might be a lot less lethal than it is today. On the other hand, if more Americans cared about this topic as much as this particular Canadian, all those executives would be green-lighting more movies like “Sheepdog.”
Either way, I’m glad this movie got made. It’s going to make a difference. And I’m grateful to have had the conversation that you are hopefully, about to watch.
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