Using a river as a metaphor for life is nothing new. Many books and films (think A RIVER RUNS THROUGH IT) have made use of this strong and compelling image. The winding path of water, sometimes running fast with rapids, other times eddying into quiet pools and lagoons, teaming with a variety of river life, and so on. The potential for symbolism is endless. The new film THE RIVER WHY can safely be added to this long list. Beginning as a slow and thoughtful hodgepodge of philosophical ideas, the movie ultimately becomes a sweet-natured love story.
Zach Gilford (TVs FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS) is Gus, a young man living under the double weight of his father’s minor but overbearing fame as a fisherman & author, and his mother’s constant bickering with his father. When they argue, he says, “it’s not who’s getting the last word, but who’s getting the next word. One day, he decides he’s had enough and leaves to live in his own place by the river, so he can do what he loves: fish. What starts out as an ode to angling, though, soon begins taking detours into the philosophy of religion and life, tossing off lines like, “The way that goes ahead often looks as if it went back.” But after meandering along in its first half like a slow current, this RIVER hits its stride in the second half as the banks narrow, and we even get some rapids (sorry, too much?) as the romance carries the movie to its emotionally satisfying conclusion.
Director Matthew Leutwyler (THE OH IN OHIO, another nice love story driven by offbeat characterization) effectively intercuts the lure and beauty of nature with the fine performances of his excellent cast. Gilford is funny and appealing as the awkward Gus. Veterans William Hurt and Kathleen Quinlan are simply wonderful as his parents, creating memorable characters from small parts that could have easily tipped into caricature. William Devane provides some much-needed humor as a grizzled journalist and fishing enthusiast who befriends Gus. And Amber Heard (literally miles away from her roles in ZOMBIELAND and PINEAPPLE EXPRESS) shines in perhaps the most pivotal role in the film, as the girl of Gus’s dreams. This talented young actress has shown such range in her performances, stardom has to be just around the corner.
Although it may take some patience on the part of the viewer, THE RIVER WHY, like a sunny afternoon spent fishing in a shady pool, will eventually yield its own small rewards.
Three great events coming up this weekend – and three great opportunities in three different places to see the film, greet our star who plays “Gus” , Zach Gilford, meet our director, Matthew Leutwyler and support a good cause.
That same night, a little further south, our director/editor Matthew Leutwyler will be appearing at the Naples International Film Festival in Florida for a screening November 5 at 8 pm. The film will screen again on November 6 at 12 pm and on November 7 at 11:30 a.m. http://naples.bside.com/2010/films/theriverwhy_matthewleutwyler_naples2010
The filmmakers of “The River Why” donated 25 tickets to veterans from Walter Reed Hospital who are participating in Project Healing Waters so they could see the film when it screens at the Alexandria Film Festival (Virginia), November 6 at 7 pm. Project Healing Waters is dedicated to the physical and emotional rehabilitation of disabled active military service personnel and veterans through fly fishing and fly tying education and outings. For tickets, please go to: http://alexandriafilm.org/schedule/
It looks like both the Saturday, October 9, and Thursday, October 14 screenings of “The River Why” are sold out at the Mill Valley Film Festival. There might be tix available if you stand in the rush line.
I’m heading up to beautiful Oregon for the Bend Film Festival and a 3 pm screening on Friday, Oct 8, before coming back for Mill Valley’s screening on Saturday. The Bend Film Fest will also screen TRW on Sunday at the Sisters Movie House at 10 a.m. www.bendfilm.org
Our director, Matthew Leutwyler, can’t make it to the Saturday Mill Valley Film Fest screening , but will be there for the screening on Thursday, October 14. Stop by and say hi.
The following weekend, we have screenings at the Heartland Film Festival in Indianapolis and the Gig Harbor Film festival in Washington state and the Salem Film Festival in Oregon.
The Gig Harbor screening is Friday, Oct 15 at 1: 3o pm. www.gigharborfilmfestival.com
The Salem Film Festival screening is Friday, Oct 15 at 6:30 pm and Monday, October 18 at 3:15. http://www.salemfilmfestival.com/2010/films/features/riverwhy.html
The Heartland Film Festival is October 16 at 7 pm, October 18 at 6 pm, October 19 at 6 pm and October 22 at 8:15 pm.http://www.trulymovingpictures.org/festival-years/2010/movie/the-river-why
And keep an eye out for “Greenlit”, the documentary one of our Executive Producers, Miranda Bailey, directed about our efforts – sometimes more successful than others – to make “The River Why” green. An enlightening and hysterical film. It’s playing at a number of the fall film festivals.
Now, acknowledging there is more to life than coming-of-age love stories with fishing, I have this to say:
Check out this video (featuring Zach Gilford, Kathleen Quinlan, director Matthew Leutwyler,and Screenwriter Tom Cohen) from the Red Carpet Premiere of The River Why at the Dallas International Film Festival.
Note: the cast and crew appear about 5 minutes in.
The "Best Cinematography, The Gerald Hirschfeld, ASC Award: Feature" Award
I’m pleased to announce The River Why won the “Best Cinematography, The Gerald Hirschfeld, ASC Award: Feature” Award last night at the Ashland Independent Film Festival! This is a wonderful honor and very meaningful since we filmed The River Why in Oregon, along the Wilson River in Portland, in 2008.
We’ll post more pictures and updates from the festival soon, but we had to share the great news.
To see the full list of Awardees, please visit the Ashland Independent Film Festival‘s web site.
April 5, 2010–The Easter Bunny delivered some “egg-cellent” news yesterday! Our first write up by the Ashland Mail Tribune.
Journalist Bill Varble wrote:
It’s heartening to see the overall quality of the work being done by independent filmmakers around the world. That quality will be on display in our little corner of the world, as the annual Ashland Independent Film Festival gets under way Thursday.
The big little indie fest this year again boasts some extraordinary films among its 81 entries. And almost everything is at least worth seeing. Contrast this with a typical week’s crop of Hollywood commercial fare, which often leaves you scratching for a movie worth seeing.
Here are some thumbnail reflections…
“The River Why,” feature, 101 minutes
Producer Kristi Denton Cohen waited 20 years to make a beautiful film based on David James Duncan’s iconic coming-of-age fishing novel set in Oregon, and the wait was worth it. Gus Orviston, 20, leaves his fishing, bickering parents’ home to live in a cabin on the river and order his life so that he can fish 141/2 hours a day.
Gotta be bliss, right? Wrong. He’s soon frustrated and lost. But the right guides turn up at just the right moments as Gus moves toward awareness.
This is lovely, understated filmmaking. Director Matthew Leutwyler wisely lets his camera and his actors, including the eye-popping Wilson River near Portland, (this is one of those stories in which the environment is a character) tell the story. When it looks this easy, you know it was hard work indeed.
Although the cinematography is stunning, the producer says it’s still a work in progress, and she allowed it to be shown as a thank-you to Oregon. The final version will reportedly be yet more beautiful.
To read the rest of Varble’s reviews, please click here.
Also appearing at the Ashland Independent Film Festival is “Greenlit”, the behind-the-scenes documentary of The River Why‘s attempt to “green” the film production. The 12:00 noon April 10th showing of “Greenlit” will be followed by a panel discussion including “Greenlit” director Bailey and “River Why” green consultant Lauren Selman. Bill Vabler suggests “The ideal would be to see ‘[The] River Why,’ then see ‘Greenlit,’ then stay for the discussion.” We agree, Bill!
You can catch The River Why at 12:00noon on April 9th and 6:00pm April 10th. Get your tickets here.
The Ashland Independent Film Festival runs Thursday, April 8, through Monday, April 12, at the Varsity Theatre and other Ashland locations with 81 films, plus parties, awards and special events. Most showings are $10. See www.ashlandfilm.org for more information.
UPDATE: While you’re at the AIFF, here are a few other events you may enjoy:
“Reel Women” Panel with Producer Kristi Denton Cohen: 10:30am, April 10, 2010.
“It Ain’t Easy Being Green” Panel, following the screening of “Greenlit“, which documents The River Why’s attempt to “green” its film production: Screening starts at 12:00noon,April 10, 2010
Director Matthew Leutwyler directs the camera on the set of "The River Why".
Matthew Leutwyler was born in San Francisco where he studied film at the San Francisco Art Institute. Leutwyler’s first feature film was the black comedy Road Kill, produced on a $180,000 budget. The Daily Variety called Road Kill “A breezy entertaining ride… A jaunty trip with a good balance of dark comedy and legitimate drama.˝ The San Francisco Metropolitan called it ˝Clever˝ and the London newspaper, The Mirror, called it ˝A Four Star Classic!˝ Road Kill premiered at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival where it won the Audience Choice Award for best feature film. As his follow-up, Leutwyler wrote, directed and edited the more personal romantic comedy This Space Between Us. The film˝s ensemble cast included Jeremy Sisto, Poppy Montgomery, Alex Kingston, Vanessa Marcil, Taylor Negron, Erik Palladino and Garry Marshall.
Leaving The Bay Area and moving to Los Angeles, Leutwyler co-founded the production company Ambush Entertainment. His first film for the company was the award winning comedy-horror-musical Dead & Breakfast starring Jeremy Sisto, Erik Palladino, Portia DiRossi, Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Ever Carradine. Since then Ambush has executive produced The Academy Award nominated drama The Squid & The Whale, and produced the sexually charged comedy The Oh In Ohio starring Parker Posey, Paul Rudd, and Danny DeVito, the horror sci-fi Unearthed (also directed by Leutwyler), and the Matthew Broderick drama Wonderful World. Most recently Leutwyler has produced the comedy Lower Learning with Eva Longoria Parker, Jason Biggs, and Rob Corddry and directed the adaptation of the acclaimed novel The River Why starring Zach Gilford, Amber Heard, and William Hurt. He is currently directing Answers to Nothing, starring Dane Cook and Elizabeth Mitchell.
Outside of his career as a filmmaker, Leutwyler has worked as a mentor with the Los Angeles based non-profit The Fulfillment Fund and as an industry professional volunteer working with East Los Angeles youths on short film productions for the Youth Employment Internship Program (YEIP).
Matthew Leutwyler on set with Zach Gilford and William Hurt.
Directors Statement:
Upon high school graduation I left on a trek to Australia and took along with me a softcover copy of The River Why. It was my constant companion on an adventure that included working on a dairy farm and fishing the various rivers and streams of Victoria’s high country. I must have read the book four or five times over the course of my journey, identifying closely with Gus’s departure from his home in pursuit of happiness in the wilderness. The book remained a favorite of mine over the years since I returned so naturally when the opportunity came to direct the film version it was a dream come true.
RT @sthompsonauthor: I love 'The River Why' book. I have wanted to see the ind. film, but it wasn't playing near me so I just ordered...***11 hours ago
