Mystic River herring documentary to premiere June 21

The premiere of a documentary about the return of herring to the Mystic River will highlight the first Into the Mystic Environmental Art and Film Festival in Medford.

 “The Mystic Herring Run: The Return of 2012 and Beyond,” will be shown at 7 p.m. on Saturday, June 21, at the Hyatt Place hotel, 116 Riverside Avenue. The documentary brings together a panel of 14 presenters who analyze the historic return of herring to the Mystic Lakes for the first time since the American Civil War and its biological implications. Filmmaker Shervin Arya will be on hand for a discussion after the screening.

In 2012, the Mystic River Watershed Association (MyRWA) and residents of neighboring communities celebrated the return of the herring run beyond the Mystic Lakes dam after a marked absence. Fish such as herring spend most of their lives at sea, but return to rivers like the Mystic to spawn.

The completion of Upper Mystic Lake rehabilitation project and installment of a new fish ladder became the catalyst for restoring herring access to spawning habitats. These developments spelled an end to Bucket Brigade Era, where fish had to be manually hoisted over the dam by volunteers, and signaled a new era for herring migration at the Mystic River. MyRWA estimated the Mystic River herring run at nearly 200,000 in both 2012 and 2013.

“Shervin Arya’s natural history films constitute an important breakthrough in critical natural history storytelling,” said Bob Nesson, a Boston filmmaker and adjust professor at Emerson College. “Rather than relying on traditional approaches, Shervin has designed new ways to visualize, explore and express ideas about our planet’s ecosystems.  His stories are complex, reflecting the complexity of the relationships between life forms and the environment in which they exist.  At the same time, Shervin’s artistic vision fully informs the emotionally moving and beautiful images he captures and weaves together into powerful narratives.  People experiencing Shervin’s genius will gain new insights and appreciation for the planet Earth and the life that exists on it.”

The festival begins on Friday, June 20, with a reception at the Hyatt from 6 to 9 p.m. Three short films, including “The Mystic Unseen,” will be shown that evening, and the top 20 entries in the Into the Mystic art competition will be unveiled. The pieces, to be displayed at the Hyatt all during the festival weekend, include found art sculpture, photography, mosaic, painting, drawing and mixed media creations.

Admission to all of the festival events is free. Due to limited seating for the film screenings, RSVPs are requested for the Saturday night feature film at www.mysticgallery.org.

Festival sponsors are Medford Arts Center Inc., the Mystic River Watershed Association, Green Medford, Friends of the Mystic River, and the City of Medford’s Office of Energy and Environment.