“The River Remembers” is a character-driven documentary that follows Tribal members of the Elwha and lower Klamath Rivers as they lead the largest dam removals in U.S. history, restoring salmon and renewing culture after a century of struggle. The film is a story of resilience and hope, showing that when rivers heal people heal too.

Anchored in the experiences of Vanessa Castle and Frankie and Molli Meyers, the film braids together intimate family stories and select sweeping historical battles: parents teaching their children to fish, catastrophic salmon kills that galvanized action and generations who refused to give up a century-long fight.

From the joy of witnessing water flow free on the Elwha to the hard-fought victory of the inter-Tribal “Undam the Klamath” campaign, “The River Remembers” reveals a movement where ecological restoration and cultural survival are inseparable. More than a story of loss, it is a vision of resilience, healing and the possibility of renewal for future generations.

“The river sustained our people for thousands of years… My son has never eaten a fish out of the river.”

- Vanessa Castle

Characters

  • Vanessa Castle

    An Elwha Klallam Tribal Member, fisherwoman and mother who lives on the Lower Elwha Reservation and worked as Field Technician for the Tribe’s Natural Resources Department. Vanessa currently works as a Cultural Conservation Science Coordinator for the Olympic Cougar Project part of the Panthera Puma Program and also as a Tribal Engagement Coordinator for the Indigenous Conservation Group Ridges to Riffles. Vanessa believes protecting nature is protecting our future, she aims to bring people and groups together around river and habitat restoration.

  • Braven Little Youngman

    Vanessa’s son and a strong young Elwha K’lallam fisherman and junior warrior. Through mother and son, we see how important the connection to- and access to- a healthy homelands are for Indigenous families.

  • Molli Myers

    Molli Myers is a Karuk Tribal member and was raised at the village of Vuunharaáx, near the place where the mouth of the Salmon River meets the Klamath. For decades Molli has worked alongside others on a campaign to remove the Klamath River Dams, helping for the grassroots organization known as the Klamath Justice Coalition. Molli comes from a depth of traditional and cultural knowledge as well as from a family that emphasized her inherent responsibility as a steward of the land and fix-the-world person.

  • Frankie Myers

    A Yurok Tribal Member raised at Myers Lane near the traditional Yurok Village of Pecwan. He has previously served as Vice Chairmain of the tribe and has dedicated his life to place and people. He is a community organizer connecting Tribal, private, state and federal groups together for the sake of the land and river. Together with his wife, Molli, they continue seeking protection and preservation of ancestral lands and cultural resources, while raising their five children to carry on the tradition.

“We will see those salmon come back. We will witness the plentifulness that our Elders talked about.”

-Frances Charles

Chairwoman, Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe

Our Team

  • Darrell Hillaire

    Executive Producer

    Darrell Hillaire is the Executive Director of Children of the Setting Sun Productions. As previous Chairman of Lummi Nation, Darrell addressed the spoliation of ancestral lands and the epidemic of mental health and addiction that besieged Tribes. He made gains by connecting to the community and forging alliances. He has mentored every chairman who has followed him.

    Darrell helped found Lummi Youth Academy to educate youth on Treaty Rights, historical trauma and Salish lifeways. This provided a mechanism for youth in foster care to reconnect with their Tribal roots. Darrell guides CSSP with his leadership, vision for the world and connections in the community. Two of the youth academy alumni serve on CSSP’s board.

  • Jordan Riber

    Director, Producer

    Jordan Riber is an accomplished filmmaker with twenty years of experience producing, directing and editing both scripted and unscripted film. He grew up in Zimbabwe and spent 15 years in Tanzania, working with Indigenous communities.

    Jordan has four films that were selected for competition at globally recognized film festivals and three aired on Netflix. Since 2020, Jordan has been collaborating with CSSP on film projects since 2020.

  • Noelani Auguston

    Writer, Producer

    Noelani is a member of Shxhwa:y Village, Nooksack and Hawaiian. She and her husband raise their two young boys in their homelands along the Nooksack River. She received a BA from the University of Washington and as a storyteller at heart, she later earned her MFA degree in Creative Writing with a Screenwriting focus from the Institute of American Indian Arts.

    Noelani is a writer and producer for CSSP. She believes in giving an authentic worldview to stories that represent Indigenous peoples – especially those of the Salish Sea. She is motivated by providing Native people, primarily youth, with hopeful representations of themselves that share transformative characters and stories.

  • Luke Bonilla

    Editor

    Luke is a Senior Editor for Children of the Setting Sun Productions with two decades of experience in filmmaking and post-production edits. Luke “fell in love with video in high school doing linear tape-to-tape editing. The tools have changed, but the philosophy is the same: The best editing is invisible in the final product.”

  • Chris Korbulic

    Director of Photography

    A “true modern river explorer” and photographer turned Director of Photography on The River Remembers. Chris put his ultimate kayaking skills to use as he traveled the river with a cam in hand as he followed film subjects. “Beyond the action and adrenaline, Chris focuses on stories and expeditions with compelling human elements and distinct visual identities. His search for the ultimate river is more fervent than ever.”

“If we kill it off… We’re killing off our own people.”

-Mark Charles

There are thousands of champions on the Klamath and Elwha Rivers

So many stories of Tribal leaders, families and individuals participating in the plight to restore their waterways and homelands. Our film is only a chapter of the many Salmon People Stories. We hope this film encourages the telling of more of these stories everywhere. The undamming of rivers frees critical habitat and ecosystems. The River Remembers is a plight for the healing of Mother Earth and her waterways. The film educates and encourages understanding on dam removal and river restoration. We hope the film builds unity and action around the ongoing issue.