Livingston named Montana’s Film Community of the Year
DAN ASTIN
Enterprise Staff Writer
Livingston is Montana’s Film Community of the Year, according to the Montana Office of Tourism, which determined the railroad town as a winning finalist from communities across Montana.
“This is our third one,” said Leslie Feigel, CEO of the Livingston Chamber of Commerce.
Feigel accepted the recognition at the 2024 Montana Tourism Awards in Missoula on Monday evening. Livingston previously received the accolade in 2016 and 2020.
“It is so cool to have this much attention on our community,” said Feigel.
Feigel, who serves as a local liaison between motion picture companies and the Montana Film Office, which approves production operations in the state, was recognized for her assistance to the film industry.
“When the film industry comes to Livingston, members of the production and cast eat, go shopping, use local electricians, and purchase supplies like lumber and hardware,” said Feigel. “Our community does well when we have these productions.”
The Chamber CEO said the city’s increasingly friendly relationship with film-makers is a boon to local businesses. Feigel cited the 2019 removal of the city’s prohibitively expensive film permit with reviving projects in the area, and explained film companies could be charged between $100 and $5,000 or more per day under the previous rules.
Feigel pointed to the popularity of “Mending the Line,” an inspirational indie drama movie that filmed in Livingston, and added to the Netflix streaming platform in March 2024, as a factor into office of tourism’s decision.
“Mending the Line,” starring Brian Cox and Sinqua Walls, prominently features Livingston as a backdrop and plot device, and has a 76% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. The movie climbed to the top 10 bulletin of Netflix’s most-watched content and peaked at No. 3 globally from March 25-31.
Livingston has a rich film history. The Edison Manufacturing Company was one of the first to film the area, recording a tourist train leaving the depot in 1897.
Major motion pictures filmed in the Livingston area include: “Rancho Deluxe,” 1975; “A River Runs Through It,” 1992; “Everything That Rises,” 1998; “The Horse Whisperer,” 1998; Steal Me,” 2005; “A Plumm Summer,” 2007; “Cowboys vs. Dinosaurs,” 2015; “Murder at Yellowstone City,” 2022.
