haroula rose

Once Upon a River is set in 1977, but feels timeless. Fashions and decor fit the period; however highlighting the era isn’t first-time feature filmmaker Haroula Rose’s main objective as she navigates the tale of Native American teenager Margo Crane (Kenadi DelaCerna) and the traumas that plague her during her male-dominated coming-of-age journey.

There is a point where our internal critic asks, why are we watching this film? For Once Upon A River, it is to witness the miracle of kindness, and the randomness of human decency which can make or break someone’s spirit that is the underpinning of this story. The message is that all children need guidance and a watchful eye as they learn the ways of life so they can take eventually take educated chances and bet on themselves.