Hero Lodge Documentary

Retired Canadian Infantry Captain Jocelyn Demetre served sixteen months in the hostile lands of Afghanistan. His book, Sunray 21: Memories of an Extreme Combat Veteran in Afghanastan, portrays what it was really like on the frontline in this honest and emotional memoir. As well, Demetre gives insight on what our combat veterans go through before, during and after serving our country, including the struggles with PTSD and the everyday stresses that surface post-mission.

What evolved from these written pages was a process of healing that only came when Demetre reconnected with the outdoors. After years of trying forms of therapy to help manage the pain, anger and sadness he was tormented by, it was the power of nature that led him to an inner peace that continues to this day.

Knowing that many veterans suffer from PTSD, Demetre created a rugged getaway for individuals struggling with their inner demons. Since 2014, Demetre and two fishing guides take 40-50 veterans to a remote fishing lodge on the Great Slave Lake in the Northwest Territories for a week of solitude, sharing and healing. Here they experience nature, solitude and are treated to a local aboriginal female chef who shares traditional methods of cooking and culture. Then, with two people per boat, on the water all day, a unique and special kind of healing takes place. Participants understand this is a safe place to share and open up about their experiences and trauma, and finding what the remote backcountry offers has helped hundreds of men work through raw emotions. In 2022, for the first time, women took part in this excursion. And the numbers continue to grow.

This documentary features Jocelyn Demetre and a look at his journey, what he has gone through and how he started this program. We follow his crew to the Northwest Territories to capture the serenity of the area and fishing the pristine waters as well as meet some of these brave and courageous men and women who are dedicated to helping themselves and each other.