BILLINGS - The 6th Annual HATCH Festival starts Thursday in Bozeman, featuring the work of the hottest new filmmakers from around the world, including one who was born and raised on our own back yard.

Ryan Close has always wanted to be a big time filmmaker and now that he has a motion picture showing at the distinguished HATCH Festival, he's closer than ever to reaching his dream.

"The thing about film making that I like the most is the story telling, the nuts and bolts of a good story."

Ryan's story is called "Family Pieces" and focuses on an abandoned 8-year-old boy who is on a quest to find a family.

"I'm trying to show that every family is a mess, but each is also a masterpiece."

The film's setting might look familiar, that's because the entire movie was shot right here in the Treasure State.

"There's this community up in Bozeman, Montana called the spring hill community and it's basically been untouched since the early 1900s so I could point my camera in any direction and make it look like you were still in a different time."

Although Ryan's film is up against 6 other flicks, he's confident that his work will take home the prize. But win or lose, Ryan says he'll treasure this experience and continue to reach for this big screen dream.

"It's a chance for me to learn and to come away with people knowing about my film as well as me."