Film is a popular medium for creative expression and collective memory along the LA River, exhibited full length multi-ethnic dramas like Eric Nazarian’s award-winning The Blue Hour, and short documentary films like Sarah Lorenzen’s account of current master-planning efforts in The Los Angeles River.
Before I jump into sharing stories of the great people and creative projects I’ve found along the LA River in my research process, I want to orient you on the River’s unique landscape through Osseus Labyrint’s award-winning documentary, 52 Miles of Concrete. Hannah Sim and Mark Steger made this film in 2001 for Shoot America, a Los Angeles-based and urbanism-focused independent film festival. 52 Miles of Concrete paranormally illustrates how the LA River is, as according to many of those I interviewed, ‘inspirational,’ ‘beleaguered,’ ‘damaged,’ ‘complicated,’ ‘hopeful,’ and ‘hyper-real.’
25 Miles of Concrete from LA River on Vimeo.