by Richard Prior
Staff Writer
Bill Belleville, who won an Emmy Award for his documentary about the Wekiva River, will discuss his upcoming project on Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings and the St. Johns River at Epping Forest Yacht Club Sept. 23.
The event, which is free and open to the public, is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m.
Belleville, who lives in Sanford, has spent years as an environmental writer, publishing magazine pieces, documentary scripts and books. His work has taken him around the world, to Latin America, Australia and the Amazon.
“It occurred to me that there is this really extraordinary natural system not far from where I live,” he said. “I use it, too. Paddle on it, and fish and scuba dive.
“I became curious about it. It’s big, and it’s old, and it’s chock full of history.”
Belleville wrote “River of Lakes: A Journey on Florida’s St. Johns River,” which came out in 2000. It went through three hardbound editions before going to paperback.
When he started doing research, Belleville discovered there was nothing current — nothing more recent than a 1940s work devoted to human history.
“It didn’t address the natural history at all, which is equally fascinating,” he said.
Research for the book took about a year, “But I also had a sort of critical mass of experiences on the river. Paddling, fishing, hiking, poking about over the years. That sort of informed my book.”
“It sold very well,” he conceded. “I received very positive reviews.”
Attorney Teresa Sopp is helping publicize Belleville’s appearance.
“I read his book and went to hear him speak,” she said. “That’s all it took.”
When she heard he was planning to film a documentary about the St. Johns River, Sopp said, she volunteered to help with fund raising.
“This is actually a two-part event,” she said. “It’s really to turn people on to Bill Belleville the author and filmmaker. It also will hopefully get people interested enough to help financially with the documentary.
“He’s a remarkable asset for Florida. He’s someone you really should come and hear speak and learn about his projects.”
Belleville also wrote “Deep Cuba,” the story of an expedition around Cuba’s coastline.
His articles have appeared in Oxford America, Sports Afield, Sierra, Fast Company, Salon.com and for the New York Times Syndicate.
He has worked as a writer and researcher on several Discovery Channel expeditions to Latin America. He has also co-produced and scripted three Florida PBS documentaries, all of which won national awards.
His presentation Sept. 23 will be about the St. Johns and its “ long and distinguished and dramatic history,” he said. “It’s about how people now are rediscovering this river that for the last 50 years or so has almost become forgotten.
“This is really a valuable resource. We’re just now coming to recognize how important it is.”
The title of the film is to be “In Marjorie’s Wake.” It will recapture Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings’ trip down the St. Johns River with her friend from Cross Creek, Dessie Prescott.
Rawlings included details of this trip in her book “Cross Creek” and wrote of the lives of the people who lived in the St. Johns River valley in “The Yearling.”
The film is to be an hour long and will be distributed to PBS stations nationally.
At the end of Belleville’s presentation, he will be joined by his co-producer, Bob Giguere, and they will discuss how a film is put together. They hope to create enough interest to attract contributions for the film through their not-for-profit educational organization, Equinox Documentary.
“It’s a 501(c)(3) organization, so contributions through corporations or foundations or that are privately made are tax deductible,” he said.