Once Upon A River is the story of Native American teenager Margo Crane in 1970s rural Michigan. After enduring a series of traumas, Margo (newcomer Kenadi DelaCerna) sets out on an odyssey on the Stark River in search of her estranged mother (Lindsay Pulsipher) and befriending an elderly man who has just about given up (John Ashton). While on the water, Margo encounters friends, foes, wonders, and dangers learning how to navigate life on her own. She comes to understand her potential in the people she meets, the experiences she has, all while healing the wounds of her past. Written and directed by Haroula Rose, this midwestern gothic Americana story is, in the words of Jane Smiley for The New York Times, ""an excellent American parable about the consequences of our favorite ideal, freedom."" The integral original motion picture soundtrack features original songs created especially for the film by a wonderful selection of Grammy Award winning and/or nominated artists including Rodney Crowell, JD Souther, Will Oldham, Bridget St. John, Fran Farley, Peter Bradley Adams, and Haroula Rose.
