River Maid
a modern folk tale by Colin J. Mason
ABOUT THE FILM
River Maid tells the story of a grieving widower, whose encounter with a mermaid rekindles the boyhood wonder he thought he'd lost forever. We believe myths and fairy tales should be alive, not relics, and this film draws on our 20 years of filmmaking in the Shenandoah valley to embrace that ethos.
The Plan for River Maid
River Maid was always intended to be a finished piece of a fantasy feature film. The characters, performances, and locations you see here continue directly into the full film. Creating this first chapter allows us to establish the world exactly as it will appear on screen while we continue building the larger story around it.
A Short Film That Begins a Larger Story
River Maid was always meant to be a completed piece of the feature we’re making. The characters and locations in the short continue directly into the full film. Starting with this first chapter lets us establish the world while we build the larger story around it.
A Feature of Interlocking Folk Tales
The feature expands into several original folk tales inspired by Appalachian legends, ghost stories, and local mythology. Some share characters and locations; others stand alone — but all link together into one unified narrative. River Maid is one of these key threads.
A Local Story
Told Locally
At its core, River Maid reflects our belief that film should grow from the communities and landscapes where the story takes place. We’re building this world where it comes from: on Appalachian ground, with Appalachian voices and artists leading the way.
How the Short Leads to the Feature
With the short complete, we’re now using it — along with a pitch deck and a developing script — to move the feature into full production. It gives a real look at the tone and world-building plus, as the short travels through festivals, it builds visibility and momentum for the feature.
Where the Full Film Will Take Us
The feature will be filmed entirely in the Appalachian regions of Virginia and West Virginia, grounding each story in the landscapes and communities that inspired them. The film expands the world introduced in the short into new interconnected characters and folklore.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
River Maid is being made the local way: grounded in the local community, filmed in the local community using mostly local talent and artisans, and built from the bottom up rather than handed down
from afar by a giant studio.
If you want to help this kind of filmmaking thrive:
Spread the Word
Share the trailer or our updates with friends who love folklore, indie film, or Appalachian stories.
Support Festival Screenings
If River Maid plays at a festival near you, join us if you can, or share the news! Audience interest helps the film travel farther.
Follow and Engage Online
This is possibly the most helpful one. Follows, likes, comments, and reposts help signal that there is an audience for this movie, and it will help us put butts in seats when it’s time to show this thing in movie theaters.
Stay Connected
Sign up for our mailing list for screening updates, behind-the-scenes looks, and feature-film progress. We only send meaningful updates.
Behind The Scenes
The River Maid shoot was our largest production in nearly two decades: spanning multiple challenging, often inhospitable locations and demanding intricate technical coordination. This behind-the-scenes look reveals the true scale of the project and the remarkable team effort required to bring it to life.
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