Airdate: River

Australian-produced documentary feature River, spanning the life of rivers across six continents, will screen this week on ABC TV Plus.

Narrated by Willem Dafoe, this is written and directed by Jennifer Peedom (Mountain), with a score by the Australian Chamber Orchestra.

River is described as a profound cinematic and musical reflection on how rivers have shaped both the planet’s elaborate landscapes and all human existence.

Throughout history, rivers have shaped our landscapes and our journeys; flowed through our cultures and dreams. River takes its audience on a journey through space and time; spanning six continents, and drawing on extraordinary contemporary cinematography, including satellite filming, the film shows rivers on scales and from perspectives never seen before. Its union of image, music and sparse, poetic script create a film that is both dream-like and powerful, honouring the wildness of rivers but also recognising their vulnerability.

Production credit: Screen Australia and the Australian Chamber Orchestra in association with the ABC and the BBC present a Stranger Than Fiction production in assocation with Arrow Pictures. Written and directed by Jennifer Peedom, Co-written by Robert Macfarlane and Joshep Nizeti. Co-directed by Joseph Nizeti. Produced by Jo-anne McGowan, Jennifer Peedom and John Smithson. Artistic Director, Australian Chamber Orchestra, and composer Richard Tognetti.