ALONG
THE RIVER
SYNOPSIS
At the very south of Japan's main archipelago lies the small island of Okinawa. Its subtropical climate allows dense jungles to cover the mountains found throughout the territory.
These mountains are scattered with streams, home to an abundance of unique biodiversity.
Set in a coastal town, Along the river brings viewers up close to these brooks and rivers to meet the plants, animals and other surprising organisms that live a discreet life between the darkness of the undergrowth and the sunny countryside.
GENESIS OF THE PROJECT
It all began by chance. As a spider enthusiast, Alexandre came across a photo of the okinawan giant fishing spider, the orion dolomedes on the internet, and immediately thought he had to film this species in its natural environment.
It's a fishing spider as big as a human hand, and it lives only on the Japanese archipelago of the Ryūkyū, in the rivers that meander through the subtropical jungle that covers its islands.
At the end of 2021, a crowdfunding was launched so that the film and the other videos of the project could be produced. 72 contributors later and with the support of the Jiyuu - Hugo Sarrade grant, the planning of the filming could begin.
Along the river was shot in Okinawa between the end of April and the end of June 2023, during which time short videos from the field were broadcast on Tiktok and Youtube short.
In parallel with the post-production of the film, several videos are being released on YouTube for all to see, focusing on species encountered during filming.
WRITTEN, FILMED AND DIRECTED BY ALEXANDRE GROS
ORIGINAL SOUNDTRACK THIBAUT DE LAFFOREST (OATHR)
WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE JIYUU GRANT - HUGO SARRADE AND THE 73 ULULE CONTRIBUTORS