The stunning documentary film “River” will ensure that you never look at rivers the same way again. It will also enchant you and entrance you into a flow state unlike any you’ve experienced before. Released in the U.S. on Earth Day 2023, “River” will begin streaming on Apple TV+ next Wednesday, May 31.
Few places in Massachusetts are far from a river, so seeing “River” at Nantucket’s nonprofit cinema last week felt somewhat odd since there are no rivers on the island. Still, a crowd of 50 people showed up on a wet Wednesday night to watch this on the big screen.
I’m so glad I did. “River” showed me so many things about the arteries of the world that I never even once considered. For example, I don’t give dams a great deal of thought. Honestly, I’ve never seriously wondered why a specific dam is located where it is.
True, I’ve gone whitewater rafting on the Deerfield River, so the dam release schedules matter. But aside from this, I simply enjoy rivers for their natural beauty and soothing effect.
I also enjoy listening to classical music. Not only is “River” a visually stunning documentary film, it’s also set to a lovely score. The original motion picture soundtrack includes Ravel, Mahler, Bach, and Vivaldi, to name a few. Led by the Australian Chamber Orchestra, the movie is also narrated by Willem Dafoe. Reading from a contemplative script, the whole thing sounds like a prayer, a plea, and a poem.
“River” was also filmed on six continents. With a breathtaking range of cinematography, including elaborate dam graffiti, slow motion waterfalls, and Hindus scattering ashes on the Ganges River, the imagery is dizzying and calming at once.
In the last month alone, I’ve driven along the Mystic River on the way to my see my dentist. Ditto for cruising past the Charles River on Storrow Drive to get to dermatology. And crossing the border back into Massachusetts following the West Branch of the scenic Farmington River on Route 8—priceless.
As an undergrad in the nation’s capital, I also got to know the Potomac River during Marion Barry’s third mayoral term. In hindsight, his case of “Potomac fever” should have been taken much more seriously, given what we now know about how grave this condition can become.
Similarly, when I arrived in St. Louis for graduate school, a professor took us on a mind-blowing bus tour of the two sides of The Mighty Mississippi. For the geographically challenged, they are St. Louis, Mo. and East St. Louis, Ill. Even a cursory review of the social determinants of health shows just how entrenched certain disparities are. And by the time I reached SUNY-Albany to begin doctoral work, the Hudson River was a pleasing sight for my eastward-looking eyes.
I could go on and on about incredible travel experiences walking along the Seine, cruising down the Rhine, even cutting through the Panama Canal. Likewise, I adore the Connecticut River for its amazing vistas and musical theater at places like Godspeed Musicals. My youngest niece is now a coxswain gliding along the smooth surface water slightly upstream from this glorious stage.
But closer to home, I definitely share Lee Town Administrator Christopher Brittain’s concern about plans to remove PCBs from the equally gorgeous Housatonic River. And anyone who questions the environmental justice of proposals to clean up the Housatonic would do well to dive headfirst into the stunning documentary film that is “River.” This movie clearly carries direct relevance to all of the southern Berkshires. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed—and you will be moved.
