Starring: Narrated by Willem Dafoe
Distributor: Madman Films
Runtime: 75 mins. Reviewed in Apr 2022
Reviewer: Fr Peter Malone msc
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A striking documentary about rivers, a history of their origins, human interactions, 20th century destruction, challenge for the future, hopes for the future.
Beauty. Pessimism. Exhortation.
For more than 10 years, director, producer and writer Jennifer Peedom has made significant and beautiful documentaries. She has worked most notably in the Himalayas as co-producer of Sherpa as well as producer of documentaries Mountain Quest, Mountain. (And the writer of this documentary, Robert Macfarlane, was a writer of the Mountain documentaries.)
In many ways River is a masterclass in cinema photography. It is also a masterclass in editing such a range of beautiful material. The early part of the film, spoken in quiet tones by Willem Dafoe, indicates the evolution of rain, streams, rivers, and then the interaction between humans and rivers. All this is captured beautifully in striking images, a delight to watch.
And, as we see in the opening, the Australian Chamber Orchestra is assembling, under the leadership of Richard Tognetti, preparing to play the score, original music, classical music, something of a concerto as we watch.
But, the narration moves us into the 20th century and the increasing human control of so many rivers. Rivers which are now diverted and dammed. There are alarming explanations about the damage dams can do, such as the trapping of silt so when water is released there is a lack of nutrient benefit.
The images go further, close-ups and vast vistas, helicopter and drone material, satellite images, devastation in so many parts of the world, the erratic behaviour of droughts and floods, the commercialisation of the rivers, profitable consequences for the affluent, the poor being deprived of livelihoods.
The commentary asks: are we good ancestors? Human history flows like rivers – and what will human history mean in the future downstream? Not that the film is without hope. Some remedies have been put in place, recovery of silt as dam waters are released in full flow, some enriching consequences.
But, along with this, there are still the scenes of devastation, hundreds of stranded fishing dead along a defunct river. But, the rivers flow into the sea, there is evaporation with huge amounts of water gathering in the clouds and then returning to the earth.
There is so much to see in a documentary like this – and so much to challenge.
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