CHICAGO– A Chicago director comes into focus with her debut film, “Once Upon a River” with a Chicago screening beginning on Friday, October 2nd, 2020, at the historic Music Box Theatre. Director Haroula Rose – with Bonnie Jo Campbell, the author of the source novel of the film – sat down last year for HollywoodChicago.com at the 55th Chicago International Film festival regarding the film.
’Once Upon a River,’ Directed by Haroula Rose
Photo credit: Film Movement
“Once Upon a River” is a journey. After her father’s violent death, Native American teenager Margo Crane (Kenadi DelaCerna) flees down Michigan’s Stark River in search of her estranged mother. On the way, she encounters allies, enemies, danger, and the beauty of nature, all while coming to grips with her past and her own identity. The film is an evocative marriage of “Winter’s Bone” and “Huckleberry Finn.”
Haroula Rose graduated from the University of Chicago with a Bachelors and Masters in Education, and received an additional Masters of Fine Arts from USC’s School of the Cinematic Arts. She is a Los Angeles-based writer, director and producer, and has directed the short films “No Love Song,” “Wedding Dress” and the TV project “Lost and Found.” Rose is also a musician of note, and had songs she performed that were featured in the films “For a Good Time, Call…” and “Still Alice.”
Director Haroula Rose (front) and Author Bonnie Jo Campbell of ‘Once Upon a River’
Photo credit: Patrick McDonald for HollywoodChicago.com
In PARTONE of a Podtalk wtih Patrick McDonald of HollywoodChicago.com, director Haroula Rose and source novel author Bonnie Jo Campbell talk about “Once Upon a River” the book and the film, and how the main character was interpreted in each medium.
In PARTTWO, director Rose and novelist Campbell talk about the main character in the context of her survival instinct, and what advice they’d give her if they had lunch together.
 | By PATRICK McDONALD |