River of Grass

The Everglades’ past and present converge in River of Grass, a poetic reimagining of Marjory Stoneman Douglas’s 1947 classic The Everglades: River of Grass, premiering at Coral Gables Art Cinema.

Directed by Sasha Wortzel, the film revisits Douglas’s call for environmental stewardship through encounters with Miccosukee educator Betty Osceola, local activists and families working to protect this fragile ecosystem. Blending dreamlike imagery with documentary realism, it explores the Everglades as both a sacred landscape and a frontline of resistance in the age of climate change.

Event Schedule

Friday, October 17 – Red Carpet Opening Night
Theatrical premiere followed by a panel discussion featuring Betty Osceola, Sasha Wortzel and members of the film team (Houston Cypress, J. Sterling Bennett, Alexandra Codina, Monica Berra, T. Wheeler Castillo).
Moderator: Cornelius Tulloch (Creative Director, AIRIE).
Co-sponsors: Books & Books Literary Foundation and AIRIE (Artists in Residence in the Everglades).

Saturday, October 18 – “No Airports, No Prisons, Only Everglades” Panel
A community conversation on environmental justice and land protection featuring Sasha Wortzel, Betty Osceola, Eve Samples and Jessica Namath.
Moderator: Bill Kearney (Senior Editor, Sun Sentinel).
Partners: Friends of the Everglades and the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida.

Sunday, October 19 at 1:30 p.m. – “Intergenerational Stewardship” Panel
Discussion on conservation across generations with Donna Kalil, Deanna Kalil, and Houston Cypress.
Moderator: Kate Fleming (Founder, Bridge Initiative).
 Love the Everglades Movement and Bridge Initiative.

Additional screenings with open captions will be held Tuesday, October 21 at 6 p.m. and Thursday, October 23 at 6 p.m.

River of Grass runs October 17–23 at Coral Gables Art Cinema, offering audiences an evocative reflection on South Florida’s defining wilderness and the people fighting to preserve it.