There is an urgency with the national water dilemma dealings involving the Colorado River running through the seven states effecting through the Southwest. An ordeal that’s affected issues from the state level to the largest discussions about the climate change and rise in data centers that are geologically and environmentally throwing off the course and function of the River’s nature. So much of the controversies surrounding the issues at hand is held individually different based on which state’s prospects have been for and/or against the handling of the water from a federal level. All states scrambling to find out who is suppose to be granted the senior decision of what can be done with the River and who’s taking the charge on the fight for revitalizing the ecosystem of the beautiful waters. But the lives of those surrounding the river are people of differing backgrounds – farmers, ranchers, business folks, and Indigenous water rights advocates/leaders – all united under the majesty and growing concern of the Colorado River’s ever-changing depletion levels due to climate change factors and political influence/manipulation of the US federal government undermining the damage being made. “The River” (2026) is a film that calls for the national attention of providing and highlighting the significance of what makes the Colorado River the life line of the Southwest states affected by it, and why we need to fight harder now more than ever to preserve our greatest source of water in America.
What makes this documentary one of the essential watches of the festival is how much the invested production drew into wanting to cover the bases of Colorado River politics in a way that frames the river as a main character, with a supporting cast of advocates and leaders who each provide a choice perspective on the lives they lead. All these people come into picture with their storied accounts and personal experiences dealing with the Colorado River issues, the momentous tasks of calling for more action and attention towards preserving their livelihoods, and facing a terrifying potential of an abrupt end to their water usage if action isn’t done sooner. The filmmakers are keyed and tuned into the fight and advocacy of the river with their care and precision of profiling each person and their experience with even matched pacing and respect. But more than anything, the film in turn creating the river as a main character creates an apathy and emotional call towards feeling the plight of a momentous water being that has provided life sustenance to all the people’s along it’s side. By the end of the film, you wanna carry on the talks and communicate the harsh realities and prompting solutions that could help in the fight saving the water we all depend on. This is a film that respects and uplifts the stories of the river’s life and influence of there being a greater purpose to how we protect and heal our great water, “The River” wants audiences to carry on the good fight for our beautiful Colorado River.
Film Review by CRIT Media Tech Naythen T. Lowe
4/4 Seals ! ! !
