Educational Media Reviews Online

Hope on the Hudson is a collection of 5 documentaries each lasting 15-20 minutes. The documentaries have three common features: the videography is superb, all are filmed in the Hudson Valley Watershed, and all interview a hopeful, diverse group of scientists, volunteers, activists, and locals. Communities will find inspiration and relevancy far beyond New York state.

To watch the 5 films in this collection from start to finish is disjointed as they jump from farm to river and back. Viewers should select specific vignettes. Each film is ideal for the classroom because of the quality and brevity. For classroom viewers studying the issues of the rivers, it is worth noting no one with an opposing viewpoint is interviewed. The scientists and government officials filmed do explain briefly the reasons why a city or industry would oppose resolving the issues. Fortunately, PBS news clips and related readings are readily available elsewhere to provide the full picture.

The individual ratings for the films in this collection are:

1. City on the Water. Recommended for those studying water pollution, urban ecology, and restoration.
2. Growing with Grain: Small Grains. Recommended for agricultural studies.
3. Source to Sea. Recommended for river ecology and environmental studies.
4. Seeds of Hope. Highly recommended for agricultural studies, anthropology, and Native American studies.
5. Undamming the Hudson. Highly recommended for ecology and environmental engineering courses.

These films and others are currently available as a multi-media project, Hudson River Stories, from the director’s web site for free. Thus, I recommend librarians and educators purchase this particular collection if seeking to archive or ensure availability for the future.

Published and licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. Anyone can use these reviews, so long as they comply with the terms of the license.