Maine native and Iraq War vet gets national spotlight

The Bangor Daily News ran a story back in April about the short film, “A Marine’s Guide to Fishing,” directed by Maine-via-New York filmmaker Nicholas Brennan and starring Pittsfield native and Iraq War veteran Matthew Pennington.  I was lucky enough to get to write that one, and I found my late winter interview with Matthew and his wife, Marjorie, to be really rewarding. He’s been through so much, and he’s come out of it a strong, kind, humble man who has retained a sense of humor. Watch the film. You’ll see what I mean.

So I was pleased to see that Matthew and his work in “A Marine’s Guide” got some national recognition, with this story from the New York Times that appeared online on Sunday and in Monday’s newspaper. With this story, the NY Times has started a series of articles on veterans recovering from injuries received while serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. Matthew used his role in the film and getting into his character as a means to process some of the psychological scars he received, in addition to the loss of his left leg and other wounds. You can watch the trailer for the film below.

Emily Burnham

About Emily Burnham

Emily Burnham is a Maine native, UMaine graduate, proud Bangorian and a writer for the Bangor Daily News, where she's worked since 2004. She reports on everything from local bands to local food to all the cool things going on in the Greater Bangor area. In her quest for stories, she's seen countless concerts and plays, been lobster fishing, interviewed celebrities, hung out with water buffalo and played in a ukulele orchestra. She's interested in everything that happens in Maine.