Northeast Washington might be considered a rugged, quiet place, but it is making noise as the setting for the critically acclaimed “Train Dreams” movie currently streaming on Netflix.
The production — based on Denis Johnson’s award-winning novella — stars Joel Edgerton, Felicity Jones, Clifton Collins Jr., Kerry Condon and William H. Macy and is receiving national attention following its premiere at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival.
The funny thing about “Train Dreams” ending up in the Inland Northwest was that it wasn't even slated to be filmed in the United States.
“As I understand it, ‘Train Dreams’ was all set to be filmed in Europe, as it is quite cost effective to do so,” said Shelly Stevens, regional marketing director for the Tri-County Economic Development District (TEDD). “But then the Production Tax Incentive from Washington Filmworks was implemented, and it penciled out to do the production in Washington where much of the original story was set.”
Stevens learned of the film’s interest in Chewelah by chance.
“Completely coincidentally, I learned about it when location scouts were walking around the vacant property across the road from me in Chewelah, and I asked them what they were doing. Things moved very quickly when they decided to film here,” she said.
TEDD serves as the Northeast Washington Film Liaison for Washington Filmworks. While TEDD didn’t directly manage the production, Stevens played a surprising personal role when filming came to her neighborhood.
“Because the production spent several days filming across the road from my home, I ended up boarding the horses used in the movie, as well as storing some of the wagons used,” she said. “The wranglers stayed in our guest cabin. That was fun.”
She was also invited to visit the logging-camp set in Colville alongside officials from Washington Filmworks and State Sen. Shelly Short — who helped advance the state film tax incentive.
Stevens said rural hospitality stood out to the production team.
“The remoteness of the region on the one hand is very attractive for some types of productions, but on the other hand a concern when working out logistics like lodging and restaurants,” she said. “The great news is that our local businesses are ready and willing to accommodate.”
She shared one example from filming in northern Pend Oreille County:
“The production manager…was telling me how, when filming in the Metaline Falls area, the local cafe readily agreed to stay open on days and times they would normally be closed, to feed the crew. It's this kind of hospitality and flexibility our rural area can offer.”
Community feedback from the film, Stevens said, has been overwhelmingly positive.
“You hear a lot of pride in the comments, and people enjoying recognizing places shown in the film,” she said. “Logging and the railroad are important parts of the history here, and in some cases families have logged here since the time this story is set. Seeing that represented in such a beautiful way onscreen has impressed a lot of people.”
Local extras were cast to reflect that heritage, crew members stayed at Mistequa Hotel & Casino in Chewelah, and local antique stores helped provide props.
“Yes, many extras were hired right here,” Stevens said. “A call went out for men that looked like they could be a logger from the turn of the last century, and many of our local loggers were hired.”
Stevens believes the success of “Train Dreams” can serve as a foundation for expanding the region’s film-friendly reputation. With Spokane having a budding film industry, there are working professionals nearby that can fill those technical spots needed by film productions.
“There is no shortage of talent in the region…that a production can find,” she said. “Another draw is that you can find so many different types of scenery within a short drive, and this saves cost.”
TEDD plans to continue strengthening workforce knowledge and readiness.
“We have also had conversations about developing workshops, taught by industry professionals, about what someone would need to know about working on a production,” Stevens said. “Every production needs electricians, plumbers, drivers, equipment operators, artisans, caterers, just to name a few jobs. There is a real opportunity to position Northeast Washington as film-ready!”
With “Train Dreams” now reaching a global audience, Stevens hopes the region’s combination of authenticity, scenery and small-town support continues attracting film stories home to the places where they began.
