Documentary Series turns to an environmental film about hope

“Return of the River” is a film about the largest dam removal project in the history of the United States, and the extraordinary effort to restore an eco-system and set a river free. But it doesn’t stop there.

The film reveals a clash of values around a natural resources. To the Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe, the river is a source of life and abundant salmon, central to the tribe's culture and economy. New settlers to the Olympic Peninsula see the river as a source of electric power, essential for industry.

Early proponents of dam removal were told that the idea was ‘crazy.’ The film follows the complex journey from ‘crazy idea’ to community consensus to celebrated success story and the return of the river. In that respect, the film is also a case study of how change happens.

The public is invited to a free screening of “Return of the River” on Saturday, July 9, 1:30 p.m., at Niles Discovery Church, 36600 Niles Blvd., Fremont. A discussion led by Peter Starr, a habitat biologist who was worked on the Elwah River, will follow the screening.

“This is a film about possibility,” said the Rev. Jeffrey Spencer, Senior Pastor at Niles Discovery Church, “for people and the planet.”

In the words of Senator Bill Bradley onscreen, “Here, in the success of our collective action on the Elwha, is a template for success on climate change … and hundreds of other issues. It will be the great gift of the Elwha: Hope.”

The Second Saturday Documentary Series is co-sponsored by Niles Discovery Church and the San Jose Peace & Justice Center. This screening is co-sponsored by the Alameda Creek Alliance, Tri-City Ecology, and the League of Women Voters of Fremont, Newark, and Union City.