Grand River Grand
Susan Rodgers’ documentary selected for ETHOS Film Award
PEI filmmaker Susan Rodgers’ documentary lifestyle series, Grand River Grand, was selected for the ETHOS Film Awards, based in Santa Monica, California, and was screened live at the historic Laemmle Monica Film Centre in November.
The ETHOS Film Awards celebrate courageous talent and takes place annually in Santa Monica each November. The festival showcases purpose-driven films that promote peace, diversity, inclusion, and environmental sustainability. They see the art of film and storytelling as a sacred process that transcends cultures and languages.
Souls and spirits heal when people and horses at a small ranch on Canada’s East Coast are involved— Grand River Grand is a sweet and poignant six-part documentary series about a remarkable woman, her staff, and the selfless volunteers who run a joyful equine adapted learning program for adults and children at a horse ranch in scenic Grand River, PEI.
The episode that played in California is the second in the series, “On Top of the World,” featuring Bobbi Jo LeClair of Tignish, PEI. Bobbi Jo may have a traumatic brain injury, but she doesn’t let it dim her light. She’s a spirited, fun-loving woman who loves horses and music. Her Uncle Ed, a volunteer at the ranch, recalls the dark, rainy night he got the call about a car accident that happened when Bobbi Jo was 16. Bobbi Jo’s parents remark on her successes since she started going to Grand River Ranch.
Grand River Grand was officially selected for the Charlottetown Film Festival (2023) and the Silver Wave Film Festival (November 2024), was a Finalist at TO Webfest (September 2024), and a Finalist at the ETHOS Film Awards (November 2024). The six-part series can be viewed on Bell TV, channel 401, or screened via the Bell Fibe App.
Grand River Grand credits include Director of Photography Bailey Dockendorff, Editor Tish Brown, Field Audio by Devon Ross, Production Manager Robin Sutherland, and volunteer Steve Reaman in grip/lighting. Written and directed by Susan Rodgers, it features the song “Where You Come From” by Cory Gallant and a score by composer Chris Corrigan.
“I wanted to make a series about the overwhelming joy that’s always present at Grand River Ranch,” says Susan Rodgers. “It’s a can-do place. Regardless of ability or mental state, it’s a place that celebrates folks and lifts them up, whether they are a participant in one of the ranch’s programs or a volunteer.”