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AMERICAN RIVER:
A JOURNEY DOWN THE PASSAIC AT NJPAC OFFERS A BREATHTAKING JOURNEY INTO NEWARK’S PAST — AND A HOPEFUL GLIMPSE OF ITS FUTURE
Award-winning feature documentary about one of the state’s most important waterways will screen at the Arts Center, followed by a community conversation with New Jersey filmmaker Scott Morris and writer Mary Bruno
The New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) will screen American River, a feature-length documentary by Chatham filmmaker Scott Morris, in its largest theater, Prudential Hall, on Friday, January 20, 2023. 7:00 PM.
General Admission Tickets, $5, are
Available at njpac.org.
American River
is an exciting cinematic adventure about an ambitious 4-day kayak
trip down the Passaic River. Equal parts a scientist’s memoir of
growing up on the river that inspired her life’s work, a history of
the Garden State’s growth and development, and a gorgeous
travelogue that offers incredible bird’s-eye panoramas of the
state’s stretches of pristine wilderness, the film American River was
inspired by aquatic ecologist Mary Bruno’s book, An American River: From
Paradise to Superfund, Afloat on New Jersey’s Passaic,
published in 2012.
Bruno grew up on the shores of the Passaic, in the Newark suburb of
North Arlington. To fully research the river’s history and how it
became one of the most polluted waterways in the country, she
kayaked the length of the river — an 80-mile journey through seven
counties and 50 municipalities — from its beginnings in a wildlife
refuge, to its lowest stretches near Newark Bay, now a Superfund
site still recovering from industrial disasters of the previous
century.
Almost a decade after her book was published, filmmaker Morris
persuaded Bruno and her guide, expert kayaker Carl Alderson, to
retrace that journey on camera and see how the Passaic’s
fortunes had changed, thanks to the efforts of
environmentalists, boating enthusiasts and community groups.
Captured in exquisite detail by a fifteen-person film crew with ten
4K cameras filming from the land, the air and, often, from the bow
of Bruno’s kayak, the documentary charts not just their travels but
how the Passaic shaped New Jersey’s history.
The story of the Passaic, and Bruno’s journey along it, improbably
touches on real estate development, the Great Falls of Paterson,
the career of Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, the allure of a
classic Jersey diner, the history of crew racing and the impact of
community organizing.
Although the film has been presented at film festivals across the
country, this screening at NJPAC is the film’s first showing in
Newark, where much of the film is set, as the filmmakers take a
deep dive into how the city’s industrial development impacted the
river’s critical “Lower 17” mile stretch leading to Newark Bay.
“It’s very much a film about Newark, and we hope the people of the
city will find it inspiring and engaging,” says Morris. “We didn’t
want the film to be preachy and dark. We want people to fall in
love with the river, so they care about protecting it.”
“What’s wonderful about the film is its hopeful tone,” concurs S.
Dillard Kirby, the film’s Executive Producer, who noted that
between the publication of Bruno’s book and the filming of American River
in 2018, the Great Falls in Paterson was designated a National
Historical Park, and the cleanup of industrial waste in the “Lower
17” had begun after years of protest and litigation. Kirby also
funded one of Morris’ earlier films, Saving The Great Swamp: Battle to Defeat
the Jetport, which is currently distributed by American
Public Television.
The screening at the Arts Center will be followed by a talk-back
session for the audience with Morris, Bruno and Alderson.
“NJPAC’s role as an anchor cultural institution means this Arts
Center is where our community comes together to talk about our
history, our future and what’s most important to us,” says NJPAC
President and CEO John Schreiber.
“We are excited to offer our community this opportunity to learn
more the river that in many ways made our city what it is today —
and to find how the work of their neighbors has been so
instrumental in saving the river for our children and
grandchildren.”
NJPAC
One Center Street
Newark, New Jersey 07102
www.njpac.org or 888.GO.NJPAC
(888.466.5722)
New Jersey
Performing Arts Center (NJPAC), located in
downtown Newark, N.J., is America’s most diverse performing arts
center, and the artistic, cultural, educational and civic center of
New Jersey – where great performances and events enhance and
transform lives every day. NJPAC brings diverse communities
together, providing access to all and showcasing the state’s and
the world’s best artists while acting as a leading catalyst in the
revitalization of its home city. Through its extensive Arts
Education programs, which have reached almost 2 million children,
NJPAC is shaping the next generation of artists and arts
enthusiasts. NJPAC has attracted more than 10 million visitors
since opening its doors in 1997, and nurtures meaningful and
lasting relationships with each of its constituents.
Follow NJPAC
Online:
Website:
njpac.org
Twitter:
@NJPAC
Instagram:
@NJPAC
Hashtag:
#NJPAC
Facebook:
facebook.com/NJPAC
YouTube:
NJPACtv
Follow
NJPAC’s Standing in Solidarity Series Online:
Website: njpac.org/takeastand
Hashtag: #NJPACTakeAStand Youtube: Standing in Solidarity playlist
NJPAC is located at 1 Center Street, Newark, New Jersey; a short
walk from the Newark Penn Station stop by Newark-bound PATH Train
or Amtrak.
Location
and Directions:
Detailed instructions on approaching the venue by car, by bus, by
foot or by rail:
http://www.njpac.org/plan-your-visit/directions
http://www.njpac.org/plan-your-visit/public-transportation
http://www.njpac.org/plan-your-visit/buy-parking
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