From Off the Grid Studios:
The Silent Spotter might upend every expectation you have for a fishing film. It also might make you laugh, utter inadvertent expletives, and change the way you think about saltwater fly fishing. Screening as part of the 2025 International Fly Fishing Film Festival (IF4), this groundbreaking piece is already being hailed by viewers not just as the pinnacle of permit fly-fishing storytelling, but one of the finest contributions to the outdoor film genre to date. With poignant narrative, unforgettable characters, jaw-dropping fishing sequences, and a few good-natured digs at the culture we all love, The Silent Spotteris sparking conversations throughout the fishing and filmmaking communities.
Narrated by the witty and irreverent Jesse Colten, The Silent Spotter tells the story of Tommy Batun, an extremely talented up and coming young flats fishing guide from Xcalak, Mexico. Tommy is a budding master, with a nearly supernatural ability to spot fish, and Tommy loves permit. He obsesses about permit, invents new patterns to catch permit. He would talk permit with the most committed permit nerd you know until the wee hours of the morning…except he can’t. At least not the way you’re thinking, because Tommy’s both deaf and mute. We invite you to experience salt water fly fishing differently—through Tommy’s unique perspective.
What sets The Silent Spotter apart? Audiences are captivated by its:
· Fresh Storyline: Tommy’s journey offers an entirely new lens on the world of fly fishing, blending grit, intellect, resilience, creativity, and innovation.
· Compelling Characters: Tommy and his father Alejandro share a bond that transcends language, crafting the story of family with generational ties to the sea and a shared passion for fishing.
· Unparalleled Fishing Sequences: You may have seen footage of permit eating off the surface, but you’ve never seen permit fishing like this.
“The Silent Spotter isn’t just another 4k bro-fest fishing film or lodge promotional piece,” says director RA Beattie. “It’s a fresh and entertaining story that playfully guides the viewer out of the bland, commercial trenches that have guided outdoor storytelling in recent years. The reception so far—both from the fly-fishing community and general audiences—has been incredible. People are calling it refreshing, which is welcome praise.”
With a balance of humor, heart, and stunning cinematography, The Silent Spotter immerses viewers in Tommy’s world, where silence transforms from a liability to an asset. The Silent Spotter simultaneously invites our community to self-reflect, while reminding us of the power fly fishing has to transcend cultural and physical barriers. It asks you to engage or at least entertain questions you may or may not have before: What does it mean to be a hero in media and beyond? Can heroism and humility coexist? Where does each get us?
Catch Silent Spotter during its global tour with the International Fly Fishing Film Festival. Screening dates and locations can be found at www.flyfilmfest.com/schedule.
