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River of Grass

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RIVER OF GRASS is a present-day reimagining of Marjory Stoneman Douglas's groundbreaking book, "The Everglades: River of Grass," (1947), which transformed the public's understanding of the area from worthless swamps to an essential source of freshwater, enabling the ecosystem to endure, just barely, today. In the wake of a hurricane, Douglas visits filmmaker Sasha Wortzel in a dream and catalyzes a prismatic study of a wilderness that is home to a rich history and a site of resistance in the face of climate collapse. Seeking a way forward, Wortzel reads Douglas's book and embarks on a deep listening walk through the Everglades with Miccosukee educator Betty Osceola. The intertwined voices of the narrator, Betty, and Marjory transport the audience across the Everglades, past and present. Along the way, we meet a mother taking on the polluting sugar industry; a family of crab fishermen who have fished in the Everglades for six generations; a mother daughter team who venture out nightly to remove invasive snakes wreaking havoc on the ecosystem; and a two-spirit Miccosukee environmentalist and poet, among others. Interweaving Douglas's writing, personal narration, stunning present-day verité, and haunting archival footage, RIVER OF GRASS reveals how this country's origin story haunts and inextricably shapes contemporary American life, while asking how we might weather coming storms better together.

Cast & Crew

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Sasha Wortzel

Director

Betty Osceola

Self

Sasha Wortzel

Writer

Danielle Varga

Producer

Sasha Wortzel

Producer

J. Bennett

Cinematographer

Critics Reviews

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Robert Daniels RogerEbert.com Wortzel’s film is a clarion call to protect Florida’s greatest resource. Mar 1, 2025 Full Review Zakiyyah Madyun MovieJawn A truly creative feat of environmental storytelling, River of Grass is a quiet marvel that listens more than it speaks, and makes all the bigger impact for it. Oct 3, 2025 Full Review John Stark Mac the Movie Guy The sounds of the Everglades game through. This is what Florida should be known for. Take a trip down south and see what people like Marjorie Stoneman-Douglas fought so hard to preserve, and this documentary so beautifully captures. Rated: 87/100 Sep 19, 2025 Full Review Soham Gadre Film Inquiry It works as both a documentary and personal essay film, giving the movie a fresh experimental angle that allows it to reach beyond just teaching people about the Everglades. Aug 28, 2025 Full Review Pat Mullen POV Magazine A vivid love letter to the land and a call for its protection. May 8, 2025 Full Review Amber Wilkinson Eye for Film Although it begins with talk of the impact of Hurricane Ian, we’ll come to learn that it’s humans who are the architects of the area’s greatest problems. Rated: 4/5 May 5, 2025 Full Review Read all reviews
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River of Grass

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Movie Info

Synopsis RIVER OF GRASS is a present-day reimagining of Marjory Stoneman Douglas's groundbreaking book, "The Everglades: River of Grass," (1947), which transformed the public's understanding of the area from worthless swamps to an essential source of freshwater, enabling the ecosystem to endure, just barely, today. In the wake of a hurricane, Douglas visits filmmaker Sasha Wortzel in a dream and catalyzes a prismatic study of a wilderness that is home to a rich history and a site of resistance in the face of climate collapse. Seeking a way forward, Wortzel reads Douglas's book and embarks on a deep listening walk through the Everglades with Miccosukee educator Betty Osceola. The intertwined voices of the narrator, Betty, and Marjory transport the audience across the Everglades, past and present. Along the way, we meet a mother taking on the polluting sugar industry; a family of crab fishermen who have fished in the Everglades for six generations; a mother daughter team who venture out nightly to remove invasive snakes wreaking havoc on the ecosystem; and a two-spirit Miccosukee environmentalist and poet, among others. Interweaving Douglas's writing, personal narration, stunning present-day verité, and haunting archival footage, RIVER OF GRASS reveals how this country's origin story haunts and inextricably shapes contemporary American life, while asking how we might weather coming storms better together.
Director
Sasha Wortzel
Producer
Danielle Varga, Sasha Wortzel
Screenwriter
Sasha Wortzel
Distributor
Fourth Act Film
Production Co
Walking Productions, Subtropic Films
Genre
Documentary, Nature
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Oct 17, 2025, Limited
Runtime
1h 23m