A River Below 2017
Distributed by Grasshopper Films, 12 East 32nd St., 4th Floor, New York, NY 10016
Produced by Torus Tammer
Directed by Mark Grieco
DVD, color, 86 min., English, Spanish, Portuguese
High School - General Adult
Anthropology, Latin America, Ecology, Indigenous Peoples
Date Entered: 07/03/2018
Reviewed by Andrew Koval, MSLSA River Below is about Brazil’s river dolphins, rural fisherman and environmental advocacy. Brazil’s fishing industry uses dolphins as bait to capture high-priced fish. As a result, river dolphins have become an endangered species.
Environmentalists collected footage, albeit controversially, of rural fisherman harvesting dolphins for bait. This footage was presented on national television. Public outrage ensued, and legislative mandates were then enacted to halt dolphin fishing. Herein, Grieco masterfully explains the influence of images and video to achieve environmental justice. The film’s chronology and pacing provide a sustained intrigue. In due course, further information is presented that ethically complicates matters and will astonish audiences.
Moreover, economic interests and environmental concerns are given equal weight. Rural fishermen offer a pro-fishing perspective based on poverty. This is a memorable film that presents both the river dolphin and rural fishermen in a sympathetic manner. It is an exercise in ethical critical thinking. A River Below is best suited for school and college libraries with audiences that seek to better understand a multifaceted conservation topic.
Awards:
- Winner, Environmental Award, 2017, Sheffield Doc/Fest
- Winner, Audience Award Best Film, 2017, Zurich Film Festival