In the heart of Detroit, Michigan lives a number of families that deal with struggle on a regular basis. They deal with death, displacement, and other issues–but one that has plagued the city of Detroit for years is water. Whether it was the dirty drinking water or the water that rose from a series of storms last year–this city has had a rocky relationship with water. Freshwater tells the story of the lives and memories that were ruined by those storms.
Freshwater is very personal, it’s something that appeals to a niche group of individuals–more than likely only the ones that have experienced this situation. The film plays out so quickly, never stopping to take a breath–and viewers have no choice but to hold on tight, hoping to get something that will resonate with them. At least that’s the expectation. Yes, it is an incredibly personal film, but the technical expertise and the dream-like voice of Writer-Director dream hampton, this film comes to life in a way that nearly everyone will be able to appreciate.
It feels that hampton is the most important aspect of Freshwater, that’s she’s ultimately the glue that holds the film together. Her voice is soft and serene, and it’s incredibly easy for viewers to fall in love with her, with her passion, and her purpose. As she narrates this story she helps to bring it to life in a way that is more easily accessible than many likely believed that it would be. As she helps viewers navigate this harrowing and heartfelt story, she brings to life a series of events that only seem possible in movies, things that, unless you’ve experienced them, you’d never fully be able to grasp them. However, Freshwater does the seemingly impossible, and it brings this story to life in an accessible way.
Again, the primary reason that Freshwater will find success is the narration–but the cinematography helps massively. The cinematography is a combination of flowy and rocky. The rocky nature of the cinematography represents the turmoil that families faced during these trying times, and it attempts to drop viewers right into the middle of the chaos. Then that’s where the flowy nature of the cinematography comes in–as it often appears that we are literally wading through water. We are put into the shoes of the families being represented in this film, and being able to literally feel what they did (even just to a small degree) helps to make Freshwater significantly more accessible. Viewers feel like we are there, reliving the hardships being depicted on screen and being spoken back into existence.
Freshwater has the tall task of taking something that is incredibly personal and making it accessible to the world–presenting it in a way that will allow viewers from all walks of life to understand and appreciate it. It accomplishes this–and in a short amount of time. The narrative plays a pivotal role in this, and the cinematography helps to transport viewers to Detroit, where they are able to see and feel the gravity of what happened there. Freshwater is a passionate telling of a tragedy, and it comes to life with great vigor.
Written & Directed by dream hampton.
Starring Nia-Rah Cassells Anserson-Small, Nzinga Cassells Anderson-Small, Treasure Anderson, & Bryce Detroit.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐/10
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