Justin Black

Following five friends traveling on the water, Tidal River tells the story of the final 110 miles of the James River, stretching from Richmond to the Chesapeake Bay. This story focuses on recently uncovered history, environmental disaster and recovery, and the impacts of climate change on one of America’s most historic sites.

Once considered the most polluted waterway in the United States, the James River is no stranger to the manmade damages inflicted to commoditize natural resources. Told through the lens of five friends, this adventure-filled documentary captures a 250-mile journey down the James River, beginning in the Blue Ridge Mountains and finally arriving at the Fall Line in the group’s hometown of Richmond, Virginia. Throughout the 13-day journey, the crew masterfully captures the river’s troubled past while breathing new life into the body of water, highlighting its innate resilience along the way.

In late winter, raft guide hopefuls join an intensive training program to learn to navigate the nation’s only Class III/IV urban whitewater in Richmond, Virginia. Through trials, tough lessons, and sometimes dangerous adventures, a handful of the group become guides in time for the summer season, only for their journey to be interrupted by an environmental disaster affecting one of the featured rapids.