Hudson Rising: Stories of Revival from the Hudson Valley
We're trying to complete our movie about the Hudson Valley - and we need your help to do it!
After three years, production of Hudson Rising is nearly complete and the premiere is scheduled for October 26th 2013! Hudson Rising is a collection of stories celebrating citizens who are making a difference in the Valley: kids rebuilding downtowns, farmers reinventing farming, the scientist who dreamed that the Hudson Valley could become the next Silicon Valley, and many more.
When the movie's complete, it will be screened on WMHT and other PBS stations and at over 50 venues up and down the Hudson Valley. We believe seeing these stories in the movie will change the way citizens see the future of the Hudson Valley – inspiring them to join the very real revival that is already underway and make it stick.
But we need your help. Despite all the enormous support we have from our partner groups in the Valley, this is a low-budget project that has gotten this far through some modest grants and the generosity of a few donors. We still need to raise $20,000 to pay for the final post-production costs, including licensing archival footage and sound editing and mixing. Please help us get to the finish line and make a difference in the Hudson Valley!
All contributions towards the movie are tax-deductible donations to the Hudson River Foundation.
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Background
In 2009, New York celebrated the
four hundredth anniversary of Henry Hudson’s voyage up the Hudson River. There
were parades, fireworks, historic boats and much more. But mostly people didn’t
want to focus on the Hudson Valley’s past. They wanted to talk about its
future.
The citizens of the Hudson Valley
feel a renaissance is under way in the valley – but it is incomplete. Hudson
and Beacon are reviving, but other urban areas have been left behind, and too many kids are stuck in neighborhoods without access to Valley's nature or prospects for a good job. A new
food movement is sweeping the region – but we’re losing farms every day.
Appreciation for the Valley’s landscape and River is growing – but the Valley is
threatened by suburban sprawl and the river’s shad and sturgeon have been in decline.
How can we address these challenges and make the Valley’s renaissance complete?
A group of activists led by Chair of the Hudson Quadricentenial Commission Joan Davidson came together to establish a new coalition, OurHudson, to keep the conversation going. OurHudson convened task forces of
experts to come up with recommendations. Then we restored a historic barge and
towed it from city to city, where citizens came aboard and discussed reviving
farms and bringing back the Valley’s urban areas. It was clear that the
conversation needed to be expanded further.
So we decided to commission a
film. Hudson Rising is nearly complete, the premiere is scheduled, over 50 venues and WMHT have agreed to screen the movie - but we need your help!
Who we are
OurHudson was organized by former Chair of the Hudson Fulton Champlain Quadricentenial Commission Joan Davidson, assisted by former Municipal Art Society president Kent Barwick, former NYS Deputy Secretary of State Bob Elliott and Hudson River Foundation Executive Director Clay Hiles. OurHudson would like to thank the Hudson River Foundation for its guidance, support and administration.
Hudson Rising: Stories of Revival from the Hudson Valley is being directed and produced by Jasper Goldman and Liz McEnaney, edited by Cameron Clendaniel and has been photographed by Jon Miller.
OurHudson is grateful to our partners in the Hudson Valley whose collaboration has made this project possible. Special thanks to Scenic Hudson, Clearwater, Riverkeeper, Glynwood, the Hudson River Watershed Alliance and the Hudson River Valley Greenway.
The perks!
OurHudson
and our partnering organizations are able to offer the following wonderful perks to thank
those who can help us!
$25 – A DVD of the completed movie and a
thank you on the OurHudson.org webpage.
$100 – An invite to our premiere at the
wonderful Basilica in Hudson on October 26!
$250 – Visit the front lines of Hudson Valley advocacy! Select
one of the unique tours generously our partners on the vanguard of the battle
to revive the Valley and keep it unique:
- Take a tour with leading land preservation group Scenic Hudson! Learn about the initiatives past and present to preserve the Valley's landscape by hiking up iconic Storm King Mountain, visiting the wonderful new West Point Foundry Preserve park (set to open this October!) or visiting Falling Waters Preserve with its outstanding views of the Catskills.
- Take a backstage, VIP tour of the magnificent 250 acre estate Olana, with a Persian-inspired house at its summit, all designed by Frederic Church, one of America’s most important artists, and learn how the artistic legacy of the Hudson Valley continues to thrive! For more information, click here.
- Take a ride on the legendary Riverkeeper
boat. Learn about the epic struggle to force companies to stop polluting the Hudson and clear PCBs from the River - and the challenge now to keep out sewage and other contaminants. And experience the
Hudson Valley from the River!
- Take a tour of the farm of agricultural non-profit group Glynwood! Learn about the initiatives underway to save the Valley's farmland and ensure it thrives. Leave with some of their delicious farm-produced eggs as a take-home gift!
$500 – Taste the Hudson Valley! Choose from one of the following fabulous Valley foodie experiences:
- A voucher to collect a basket of
Hudson Valley produce from Adams Fairacre Farm in Poughkeepsie
- An invitation to the Rogowski Farm Supper Club with MacArthur Prize-winner and star of Hudson Rising Cheryl
Rogowski
- A $100 voucher towards a meal at
acclaimed Hudson restaurant Swoon Kitchenbar
- A $100 voucher towards a meal at acclaimed
NYC restaurant – to be announced shortly - that uses Hudson Valley produce!
$1000 – Get a personal screening of Hudson
Rising! The director and producer of Hudson Rising will bring a projector and
sound equipment to screen the movie at your business or neighborhood. We’ll
stick around to answer questions about the movie…
$1500 – Take home a legendary print of the
Hudson Valley from acclaimed landscape photographer Larry Lederman. Only two
available!
$2500 – Become an associate producer of
Hudson Rising. Receive a credit in the end-titles and join the executive
producers and directors at an afternoon tea-party to celebrate the launch of
the movie.
All contributions towards the movie are tax-deductible donations to the Hudson River Foundation.
Contact info@ourhudson.org if you have any
questions or comments about this campaign!
