BTL Radio Show – 01/12/2026 with writer/director/actor STEVEN GRAYHM discussing SHEEPDOG

We’re looking at another emotional film this week on BEHIND THE LENS as I chat with writer/director and actor STEVEN GRAYHM in this exclusive interview about his latest film, SHEEPDOG, one of the most important and powerful films you will see this year.

There have been a number of films over the years, especially since all of the Middle East conflicts, that address PTSD or some form of it.  Some of those films “work”, while others fall flat and are formulaic and unaffecting. But now we have a very unique film with SHEEPDOG, thanks to STEVEN GRAYHM.

SHEEPDOG is the story of decorated U.S. Army combat veteran Calvin Cole, who is court-ordered into treatment and into the care of a VA trauma therapist in-training. Things become even more complicated when Calvin’s father-in-law, a retired Vietnam Veteran, shows up on his doorstep having just been released from prison. As Calvin’s plan to run from his past becomes even more challenging, he learns through the support of his community: tough love and compassion, that he must put himself back together again for his family – and for himself.

Written and directed by Steven Grayhm, SHEEPDOG stars Vondie Curtis-Hall, Virginia Madsen, Lilli Cooper, Dominic Fumusa, Matt Dallas, and Steven Grayhm.

As you’re about to hear in this exclusive interview, Steven discusses his film SHEEPDOG, an emotional powerhouse about PTSD, featuring authentic portrayals and filled with hope. The film explores the impact of PTSD over time, with characters from different eras, and the importance of seeking help.  In this conversation, Steven emphasizes the refinement process over 14 years, the intimate cinematic style, and the collaboration with cinematographer Evans Brown. He highlights the diverse treatment methods for PTSD, including EMDR and art therapy, and the meticulous editing and sound design. The film’s success on the festival circuit underscores its impactful storytelling.

What is most interesting from the get-go is the film’s title.  SHEEPDOG itself signals Steven’s intent. Drawn from Lt. Col. Dave Grossman’s book On Combat, the metaphor divides the world into sheep, wolves, and sheepdogs—those who run toward danger to protect others. But as you’ll hear Steven explain, many veterans discover that when the uniform comes off, the “wolf” follows them home in the form of guilt, memory, isolation, and unresolved trauma. This film, he stresses, is about that unseen battle—and about post-traumatic growth rather than combat heroics.

The genesis of the project was unexpectedly intimate. In 2011, Steven’s car broke down during a solo drive from Vancouver to Los Angeles. The tow truck driver who picked him up, recently out of the military, began to talk about his marriage, his children, financial strain, and the medications tied to his service.  What struck Steven most was not the content of the confession, but the context. The driver repeatedly told him he had never shared these things with his wife or therapist. “That was the seminal moment,” Steven recalls, “of being able to share your stories like that with a complete stranger that would listen without prejudice.”  That encounter became the emotional seed of SHEEPDOG.

Later that same summer, Steven and actor Matt Dallas traveled across the country, sitting with veterans and their families, confirming that the tow truck driver’s story was far from unique. These conversations—often held at kitchen tables with spouses and children nearby—reshaped Grayhm’s understanding of PTSD as not just an individual burden, but a communal one. The film’s ensemble structure grew directly from that realization.

Research was not an abstract phase but an ongoing immersion. He volunteered at the Detroit VA Medical Center, observing and participating in treatments including EMDR, prolonged exposure therapy, art therapy, and tapping. He describes undergoing an early, rudimentary version of EMDR himself and witnessing its effectiveness firsthand.

The first draft ran nearly 187 pages, but over fourteen years, Steven treated the screenplay as a living document—expanding through research, then relentlessly distilling it down to 90 pages.

Working with cinematographer Evans Brown, the visual grammar is classic and unobtrusive, designed to earn the audience’s trust.  Of course, with Steven in 80% or more of the scenes in the film, Evans became his last point of contact before stepping in front of the camera and was his eyes and ears behind the lens.

Unique is Steven’s approach to the film in post-production, viewing visuals, editing, and sound as a “single organism.”  Editor Brent McReynolds helped “find the film” while the sound design was orchestrated with surgical care—knowing when to let silence breathe and when music can deepen connection rather than soften it.

An emotional powerhouse.  An outstanding film.  An insightful interview with a passionate and dedicated filmmaker that covers so much more than this brief recap above.

SHEEPDOG is in theatres on January 16, 2026.

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