Wild & Scenic Film Festival 2019 - CONFLUIR: A Study of Rio Marañón
Set in the Grand Canyon of the Amazon, Confluir is an underdog story about Río Marañón and the grassroots movement to protect it from large-scale dams.
Interview with Writer/Director/Producer Henry Worobec
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
Originally, I was approached by a group of whitewater rafters to make this film. I certainly was not the best person to tell this story, but I jumped at the opportunity. This is a story about one of the last great free-flowing rivers in the world and the threat that the connection between the Andes Mountains and the Amazon Rainforest will be severed. Making this film changed the way I think about rivers and challenged my intercultural competence. In the end, there were a lot of reasons to make this film.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
Because you can witness the adventure of a lifetime on one of the last great free-flowing rivers. Follow an international group of scientists and river experts as they navigate 28 days of whitewater while documenting the natural and cultural resources that would be eminently impacted by proposed dam projects. With echoes from the first descent of the river and conversations with local communities along the way, this story builds from a small mountain stream into the largest river on Earth.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
The theme of Progress physically manifests throughout the film as the story travels down the river. The crew collects scientific data and meets the local communities along the way, continually learning more and more about the river. The context of the film pivots on the question of progress. For Peru, some look at it from the perspective of increasing mineral and energy exports to progress the nation’s standing in the global economy. Others see progress as long-term prosperity achieved through greater consideration of environmental and humanitarian consequences.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
As a volunteer film project, the post-production phase dragged on for years, and in that time different people stepped in to help push it in the right direction. Marañón Waterkeeper is an NGO in Peru working to protect the river. They have a growing network of volunteers throughout the world, so they helped expand the scope and reach of the story. For example, their volunteers produced the Spanish version of the film.
The story of the river also continued to develop during post-production. The corporation at the forefront of efforts to dam the river was busted for corruption and implicated four of Peru’s presidents. That certainly changed the tone of the film.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
It’s been positive, and people seem to appreciate how much they get to hear from the local perspective in the film. To me, the most interesting feedback is from the Peruvian audiences. This summer, Marañón Waterkeeper loaded up the rafts with projection equipment and brought the film to the villages along the river where it was filmed. You can see a short video of that here. We were also honored with the Grand Prize at Inkafest Mountain Film Festival in Peru.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
Thus far, I don’t think it has been circulated enough to get critical feedback, but I hope to be challenged. That’s how you continue to learn.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
This platform seems like a great way to provide more information about the film on the web.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
We need distributors for this film, and in general we want to see more directors, producers and journalists start covering stories about the Marañón River.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I hope that people start following the story of Río Marañón, because it is still evolving. Nobody knows if that river will be dammed, and anybody can join the effort to help protect it.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
There is a question of community. How we define it and how different communities interact with each other. On our journey down the river, we often contemplated how to show respect for the locals and how they might receive us. In this film, I think it is a question of how the idea of community could encompass both the visitors and the hosts, because it seems that the river needs an international network to stand up to the international corporations that invest in these dam projects.
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
My next two video projects are based in my home state of Montana, and both focus on natural resource events or issues.
Interview: January 2019
We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series, music video, women's films, LGBTQIA+, POC, First Nations, scifi, supernatural, horror, world cinema. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela
Confluir
Set in the Grand Canyon of the Amazon, Confluir is an underdog story about Río Marañón and the grassroots movement to protect it from large-scale dams.
Length: 39 min
Director: Henry Worobec
Producer: Henry Worobec
Writer: Henry Worobec
About the writer, director and producer:
Between the mountains and rivers of Montana, HENRY WOROBEC writes and films stories about natural resources. He received a master’s in Journalism at the University of Montana.
Facebook: Maranon Waterkeeper
Instagram: @maranonwaterkeeper AND @henry.worobec
Funders: Crowdfunding and the Committee on Research and Exploration at the National Geographic Society
Made in association with: Marañón Waterkeeper
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month? On tour with the Wild & Scenic Film Festival and online at https://vimeo.com/250888522.