Paradise Center filmed for documentary

The Paradise Center and a few Paradise citizens were featured in a short documentary that will air in the Netherlands on their Public Broadcasting System. The Dutch National Broadcast, Human Metropolis is going to consist of 15- minute segments in a combined documentary that will include two more countries, according to Missoula filmmaker Fuyuko Mochizuki, originally from Japan. “The film is a local reporter’s perspective of the world,” she explained. Mochizuki and her husband, John Enos Dickey, are freelance filmmakers. Their business is Ashi Films. “We have worked on projects with this company before,” Dickey said. The couple has been in Missoula for a year in September. “We have done this same type of film in Japan where we met,” Dickey explained. The couple brought along Kaitlin King, formerly from Texas and now Missoula. King said she studied photography in college. The three met through a mutual friend in Texas. King came along to help with the filming.

The documentary’s theme is three countries, three cities called Paradise. Mochizuki said they googled towns in Montana. They thought about the Paradise Valley area but the town of Paradise sounded more interesting. “We came to Paradise about a week ago to check it out,” Mochizuki said. “The people were so welcoming and friendly when we asked them questions about their town,” she added. “We stopped at the American Legion to see if we could get information about the town’s history and the residents. Everyone was happy to tell us their stories,” Dickey said. The couple was excited to tour and film the Paradise Center.

Gary Sank from the Paradise Center said they interviewed him at his house. “I was born and raised here. I moved away and then came back. The Railroad Exhibit room used to be my first grade classroom,” Sank said.

In the Railroad Exhibit room, Dave Colyer was filmed explaining the replica of the railroad ties treatment plant that was located on the south side of Paradise. Then he gave a demonstration of the train running down the track to the roundhouse.

“Each segment of the documentary is fifteen minutes long. Each one is filmed by a freelance company in that country. I think Mexico and Europe or Asia will be the other two countries featured,” Mochizuki said. “There’s something poetic about a thriving old railroad town surrounded by nature,” she concluded, reflecting on the river, hills and trees surrounding the town called Paradise.

The documentary will air on the Netherlands’ PBS station, but the Ashi Films company was not sure when. “It should be available on YouTube sometime after it airs,” Mochizuki said. For more information, visit ashifilms.com.