ABOUT THE FILM
". . . The filmmakers draw hope out of ecological disaster without preaching, without invoking dreadful end-time scenarios. Writer and ecologist Mary Bruno, with ebullience and genuine curiosity, expresses her love for the river and respect for the voices of the people she meets along its banks. An utterly persuasive argument for preserving the natural world by allowing viewers to have their own -- perhaps newly birthed -- agency in the matter.” - George Esveldt, Port Townsend, Washington
AMERICAN RIVER is a cinematic adventure about a 4-day, 80-mile kayak journey down New Jersey's Passaic River. The central character is Mary Bruno, who spent her childhood afraid of the polluted stretch of the Passaic near her home. Decades later, she returns to explore the river of her youth and tell its story.
AMERICAN RIVER follows Ms. Bruno and River Guide Carl Alderson as they kayak from the Passaic's pristine headwaters to its toxic mouth in Newark Bay. Along the way, candid conversations with residents, experts and advocates reveal the river's extraordinary history, geology and ecology: How did this powerful and once-celebrated river become one of the most contaminated in the nation? Can it be saved?
Three years in the making, the 86-minute documentary was directed by seasoned filmmaker Scott Morris and based on Mary Bruno's 2012 book, An American River; From Paradise to Superfund. The filmmaking team includes Producer Kelly Sheehan, Director of Photography Roger Grange, Consulting Editor Keith Reamer, Composer Ben Morris and Executive Producer S. Dillard Kirby.
Visit americanriver.film for detailed info about the film, cast and crew, press materials and screenings. And be sure to join the film's mailing list for updates and to send questions and comments.
