Gian Lawrence is a fly fisherman and outdoorsman with a unique origin story.  Growing up in Puyallup and Tacoma’s Hilltop, he fell into a life of crime, violence, and destitution until a near-death experience opened his eyes and his soul to the outdoors and a sport largely inaccessible for young black men like himself, fly fishing.

Director Statement

We are a collective of NW-based filmmakers dedicated to telling stories that add richness, texture and perspective to our human experience.  Our entry, The Black Stonefly, is one of those- an origin and coming of age bio-doc of a troubled young black man who finds salvation through a predominately white pastime, fly fishing.

Director Biography - Cody Lewis and Marc Rotse

Over the past five years, Cody Lewis and Marc Rotse have collaborated to produce content that not only tells stories but shifts perspectives and visually enlightens audiences.  Cody’s a son of Ballard, WA, while Marc hails from down under, living now for better or worse in Portland, Oregon. Outside of their work on The Black Stonefly, they recently co-DP’d a feature film and are in pre-production on a number of upcoming projects.