Saturday July 4, 2009 9:26 AM MDT

Park City, Utah:

Big River Man

Director(s):
John Maringouin
Screenwriter(s):
John Maringouin, Molly Lynch
Executive Producer:
Olivia Newton-John
Producers:
Maria Florio, Molly Lynch, John Maringouin, Kevin Ragsdale, Molly Hassell
Cinematographer:
John Maringouin
Editors:
John Maringouin, Molly Lynch
Composer:
Rich Ragsdale
Codirector:
Molly Lynch

Big River Man

World Cinema Competition: Documentary
U.S.A./United Kingdom,  2008, 94 mins., color

Who is the greatest swimmer of all time? Michael Phelps? Mark Spitz? If gold medals are your barometer, then maybe, but I'd like to see either of them drink two bottles of wine a day and still swim the length of the Amazon river. This feat is attempted by Martin Strel, an endurance swimmer from Slovenia, who swims rivers—the Mississippi, the Danube, and the Yangtze to date—to highlight pollution in the world. In his fifties and rather overweight, his treacherous journey brings him face to face with many obstacles, including water predators, rapids, and toxic pollution. Spearheading the expedition is Strel's son and manager, who also becomes the film's narrator. As the days go by, Strel's physical fortitude is strained, along with his relationship with his son and his grip on reality. Part world-class sporting event, part circus sideshow, the film follows the colorful characters 3,375 miles over 66 days on history's longest, most perilous swim.Director John Maringouin explicitly understands the many dimensions of Strel's journey and crafts an almost-expressionistic portrait of the event. Utilizing breathtaking and intimate cinematography, he captures the journey along the Amazon and into the heart of Strel's darkness. Big River Man is a psychological thrill ride that works as both a humorous character study and an enlightening environmental message; it has to be seen to be believed.

Recipient of the World Cinema Cinematography Award: Documentary.


CAST
John Maringouin - Director John Maringouin was born in New Orleans and grew up in southwestern Louisiana. His tactile and vaudevillian approach to filmmaking merges reality and fiction and explores the boundaries of traditional documentary language. His previous film, Running Stumbled, premiered to acclaim in 2006 and was described by Variety as "a remarkable filmmaking debut." In 2006 Maringouin was named one of the "25 New Faces of Independent Film" by Filmmaker magazine, and Running Stumbled was nominated for the 2008 Independent Spirit Truer Than Fiction Award.
Screenings:

Fri. Jan 16 3:15 p.m. - BIGRI164A Holiday Village Cinema IV, Park City
Sat. Jan 17 11:59 p.m. - BIGRI174L Holiday Village Cinema IV, Park City
Mon. Jan 19 6:00 p.m. - BIGRI19BE Broadway Centre Cinemas VI, SLC
Thu. Jan 22 5:30 p.m. - BIGRI22PE Prospector Square Theatre, Park City
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