Once Upon a River (film)

Last updated
Once Upon a River
Directed by Haroula Rose
Written byHaroula Rose
Based onOnce Upon a River
2011 novel
by Bonnie Jo Campbell
Produced by
  • Jacqueline E. Ingram
  • Haroula Rose
Starring
CinematographyCharlotte Hornsby
Edited by
  • Steven Lambiase
  • Sofi Marshall
Music by Zac Rae
Production
companies
  • Thirty Tigers
  • Chicago Media Angels
  • Neon Heart Productions
  • Glass Bead Films
Distributed by Film Movement
Bulldog Film Distribution (United Kingdom)
Release date
  • October 2, 2020 (2020-10-02)(United States)
Running time
92 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish

Once Upon a River is a 2020 American drama film written, directed and produced by Haroula Rose. [1] [2] It stars Kenadi DelaCerna, John Ashton, Tatanka Means, Lindsay Pulsipher, Sam Straley, and Kenn E. Head. [3] It is based on the best-selling novel by Bonnie Jo Campbell. [4]

Contents

The film had its world premiere at the Bentonville Film Festival on May 10, 2019 and went on to play at many other film festivals such as Nashville Film Festival, Sarasota Film Festival, Bend Film Festival, and internationally at Thessaloniki and Evolution Mallorca. [5] [6]

Premise

Once Upon a River is the story of Margo Crane's odyssey on the mythical Stark River in 1970's Michigan. After tragedy befalls her, Margo comes across many friends and foes as she seeks out her estranged mother, only to find her own way of life instead. Often compared to Mark Twain’s Huck Finn, or harkening to Annie Oakley, Once Upon a River is, the words of Jane Smiley for The New York Times, “an excellent American parable about the consequences of our favorite ideal, freedom.” [7]

Cast

Soundtrack

The soundtrack is made of original songs composed for the film by Will Oldham, Rodney Crowell, Peter Bradley Adams, Zac Rae, J. D. Souther and Haroula Rose. [8] [9]

Reception

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 69% based on 29 reviews, with an average rating of 6.20/10. [10] Richard Roeper of the Chicago Sun-Times gave the film three and a half out of four stars, describing the film as "Beautiful. Shocking. Moving. Haunting. Lovely. Lasting. First-time feature writer-director (and Chicago area product) Haroula Rose’s “Once Upon a River” is all that and more. It’s a stark, authentic slice of a certain kind of rough-hewn life — the calloused-hands world we see in gritty films such as “Frozen River” and “Winter’s Bone,” “Leave No Trace” and “American Woman.” There’s no trace of Hollywood glamour or gloss to the story, no hint of actor-y flourishes in the deeply resonant performances. Just a lean, finely crafted, memorably real story announcing the presence of a major new filmmaking talent. “Once Upon a River” is a living prose poem filled with beautifully framed images and featuring some of the strongest writing and acting you’ll find in any movie this year. It’s not to be missed.” [11]

Cath Clarke of The Guardian gave the film three out of five stars, writing, “Mark Twain meets Winter’s Bone in this slice of Americana from first-time feature director Haroula Rose. It opens with a Terrence Malick-ish monologue by 15-year-old Margo (Kenadi DelaCerna): “I missed momma, the way she smelled of cocoa butter and white wine.” A tough, resourceful teenager, Margo lives in a rundown town on the banks of the fictional Stark river in Michigan – the kind of place where skeletons of old cars pile up in front yards. Her mom ran out a year earlier (“The river stink drove her crazy”), leaving Margo and her Native American dad Bernard (Tatanka Means).” [12]

Accolades

YearAwardCategoryRecipient(s)ResultRef.
2018 American Film Festival US in Progress Award Haroula Rose Won [13]
2019Best FilmWon
Bentonville Film Festival Best Competition NarrativeNominated [14]
Red Nation Film Festival Best FilmWon [15]
Best DirectorWon
Outstanding Actor in a Leading Role Tatanka Means Won
Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Leading RoleKenadi DelaCernaNominated
Tallgrass Film Festival Stubbornly Independent AwardHaroula RoseWon [16]
Vail Film Festival Narrative FeatureNominated
Audience Award for Best FilmNominated
American Indian Film Festival Best FilmNominated [17]
Best DirectorNominated
Best Supporting ActorTatanka MeansNominated
Best ActressKenadi DelaCernaNominated
Boston Film Festival Best DirectorHaroula RoseWon
Woodstock Film Festival Best Narrative FeatureNominated [18]
Thessaloniki Film Festival WIFT AwardNominated [19]
Nashville Film Festival New Directors CompetitionNominated [20]
2020 Sarasota Film Festival Narrative Feature Film CompetitionNominated [21]
2021 Los Angeles Greek Film Festival Best Feature FilmNominated

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References

  1. ↑ "Meet the filmmaker: Haroula Rose makes feature debut with 'Once Upon a River' at Vail Film Festival". vaildaily.com. Retrieved 2024-02-16.
  2. ↑ "Once Upon a River review – a meandering story of survival". theguardian.com. Retrieved 2024-02-16.
  3. ↑ "Once Upon a River Review: A Native American Teen Faces Injustices in Empathetic Tale". thefilmstage.com. Retrieved 2024-02-16.
  4. ↑ "The making and remaking of Once Upon a River". mag.uchicago.edu. Retrieved 2024-02-16.
  5. ↑ "Haroula Rose's 'Once Upon A River' premieres May 10". reelchicago.com. Retrieved 2024-02-16.
  6. ↑ "Narrative Competition (Features) coming of age". sarasotafilmfestival.com. Retrieved 2024-02-16.
  7. ↑ "Bonnie Jo Campbell's Rural Michigan Gothic". nytimes.com. Retrieved 2024-02-16.
  8. ↑ ""I Wanted to Infuse the Film with a Musical Storyline": Writer/Director Haroula Rose on the Original Soundtrack to Her Once Upon a River". filmmakermagazine.com. Retrieved 2024-02-16.
  9. ↑ "LISTEN: 'ONCE UPON A RIVER' SOUNDTRACK". thebluegrasssituation.com. Retrieved 2024-02-16.
  10. ↑ "ONCE UPON A RIVER". rottentomatoes.com. Retrieved 2024-02-16.
  11. ↑ "'Once Upon a River': A backwoods journey dense with beautiful images and brilliant acting". chicago.suntimes.com. Retrieved 2024-02-16.
  12. ↑ "Once Upon a River review – teenager's waterborne tale of survival". theguardian.com. Retrieved 2024-02-16.
  13. ↑ "Past Editions". americanfilmfestival.pl. Retrieved 2024-02-16.
  14. ↑ "Check Out the 2019 Bentonville Film Festival Schedule!". aymag.com. Retrieved 2024-02-16.
  15. ↑ "Winners". rednationff.com. Retrieved 2024-02-16.
  16. ↑ "Meet the Stubbornly Independent Jurors". tallgrassfilm.org. Retrieved 2024-02-16.
  17. ↑ "American Indian Motion Picture Award nominees". aifisf.com. Retrieved 2024-02-16.
  18. ↑ "2019 Woodstock Film Festival Awards Recap". woodstockfilmfestival.org. Retrieved 2024-02-16.
  19. ↑ "ONCE UPON A RIVER". filmmovement.com. Retrieved 2024-02-16.
  20. ↑ "Nashville Film Festival" (PDF). nashvillefilmfestival.org. Retrieved 2024-02-16.
  21. ↑ "The 22nd Annual Sarasota Film Festival Announces Complete Film Lineup". scenesarasota.com. Retrieved 2024-02-16.
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