The Island of St. Matthews
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The Island of St. Matthews
2013. USA. Directed by Kevin Jerome Everson. Combining documentary and lyrical modes, Kevin Jerome Everson creates a portrait of Westport, a Mississippi town ravaged by the 1973 flood of the Tombigbee River, “the flood that carried everything away.” Residents recall highways under water, destroyed homes, and the loss of family heirlooms and memories—including Everson family photographs, once stored in the Westport home of his aunt. Interspersed with these reminiscences are recurring vignettes: a baptism being performed in the water, a waterskier riding along the river, and long, painterly takes of calm waters lapping up against the dam. Everson’s film honors the losses caused by the flood but, like his interlocutors, depicts the river as an immutable force, a source of both life and death. 64 min.