Why This Film

Catch of the Day grew out of an inquiry I’ve long had about why we postpone living. It may seem a reasonable response to being deeply wounded, but what if the call of life is never out of earshot? I found this touched on poignantly in the Fisherman Parable.

Most people hear the parable as a lesson about being content with less. I hear something different. The fisherman is already living what the businessman believes can only come after years of striving. The tragedy is not working hard or pursuing success. The tragedy is believing there’s a life waiting for us somewhere other than where we are.

As I wrote the character of Chris, I came to understand how this can occur – how a wound can make constant vigilance feel like the only responsible way forward. In fact, the sea was the perfect setting for the story because it can both break your heart and invite you at the same time.

My hope is that audiences leave Catch of the Day with more than inspiration. I hope they leave with a renewed sense that life offers no guarantees, only an invitation to participate. An invitation that’s always calling — the catch of the day — here and now.