The open range can be a very lonely place for cattle range riders Hollyn Patterson and Colie Moline in Bitterbrush from director Emelie Mahdavian.

In this fascinating documentary, Mahdavian provides the perfect fly-on-the-wall perspective of two women’s bonds and the difficult job of range riding in a very remote area of Idaho.

Here is the synopsis:

Emelie Mahdavian’s sweeping documentary Bitterbrush follows Hollyn Patterson and Colie Moline, range riders who are spending their last summer herding cattle in remote Idaho. Totally off the grid with only their dogs as companions, Hollyn and Colie brave inclement weather and perilous work conditions while pondering their futures. A portrait of friendship, life transitions, and the work of two skilled young women in the isolated and beautiful landscape of the American West, Bitterbrush is an intimate portrayal of a way of life rarely seen on film.

ALSO CHECK OUT: Triple Threat | Stacey Maltin, Margarita “Mars” Zhitnikova, and Jay DeYonker Interview [Exclusive]

LRM Online’s Gig Patta spoke with director Emelie Mahdavian about the two young subjects, remote range riding, the dangers, and the behind-the-scenes production of this documentary.

Emilie Mahdavian is an Emmy, Peabody, and Sundance-awards-winning filmmaker who was selected for the DOCNYC’s 2020 “40 Under 40” list. She wrote, edited, and produced Midnight Traveler, which was nominated for a Gotham Award for Best Documentary. Prior to documentary filmmaking, she created dance films that screened at Dance on Camera at Lincoln Center, international museums, and festivals. Currently, she is developing a non-fiction feature film with Alonzo King Lines Ballet and writing a narrative feature film set in the American West. Previously, she was a professional dancer and earned a Ph.D. in Performance Studies with an emphasis on Film Practice as Research from the University of California at Davis. Also, she is an assistant professor in the department of film and media arts at the University of Utah.

Bitterbrush is in select theaters and available On Demand today.

Watch the exclusive interview with Emelie Mahdavian below. Let us know what you think of the interview.

Source: LRM Online Exclusive, Magnolia Pictures