Film, book, focuses on Hungry Horse

It was in 2003 that photographer Pieter ten Hoopen decided to document life in the U.S. from the perspective of one town. He chose Hungry Horse.

More than 10 years later, ten Hoopen is hoping to put together a film about the mountain community, and he’s finishing up a soon-to-be-released book as well.

Originally from the Netherlands, ten Hoopen is now based in Stockholm, Sweden. Each year, he returns to Montana and visits the town and families he’s grown fond of over the years.

“I fell in love with the Canyon the first time I ate food there,” he said. “Even though the Canyon has been through hard times, the people stay and are positive, and I must say the mentality is just great. I have made friends for life. I return every year, sometimes twice a year.”

The community is truly about people just trying to make a living, ten Hoopen said.

“The amount of help and caring has been incredible, and I felt always welcome,” he said. “Not all is positive of course — the Canyon has been going through some recessions like so many other small towns in the U.S. People have had hard times, and it’s still tough for many, but I was fascinated by their spirit.”

Ten Hoopen said he was inspired by American author John Steinbeck, who expounded the virtues of Montana in his book “Travels with Charley.”

“I’m in love with Montana,” Steinbeck wrote. “For other states I have admiration, respect, recognition and even some affection, but with Montana it is love.”

Ten Hoopen often stayed at the Tamarack Lodge, where he was introduced to one of the main subjects of his book and the film, Mike Lee, a musician who discovers he has cancer on his vocal cords.

Ten Hoopen’s work has drawn worldwide acclaim. He won two World Press photo awards in 2010, was named photojournalist of the year in Sweden in 2006, and won Picture of the Year International Awards in 2005 and 2006. He’s traveled to other parts of the world, including Tokyo and Afghanistan.

The Hungry Horse series was shot on film, and the photos have a flat, surreal quality look to them, as if they were taken in the 1950s, placed in a box and long forgotten.

The book will be released in January, ten Hoopen said. He recently started a kickstarter.com campaign to raise $10,000 to complete the film and reached his goal with 19 days left to spare. A trailer for his film can be seen online at http://mediastorm.com/publication/hungry-horse.