Culture & ArtsBargemississippi rivercargo workers

In 'Barge,' Unsung Heroes Follow The American Dream Up And Down The Mississippi River

The new documentary chronicles cargo workers making ends meet.
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By 

Senior Entertainment Reporter, HuffPost

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New World Distribution

"Without the Western Rivers system, the United States would shut down. It would shut completely down. There's not one thing that you don't touch, use or drive on daily that was not in a barge."

File this quote under "things we should probably be aware of." It hails from the new documentary "Barge," which is now available on iTunes and Amazon Prime. The Huffington Post is debuting the movie's new trailer.

"Barge" follows cargo workers on the Mississippi River. These men hold dreams that are sometimes as basic as escaping poverty. Yet they are responsible for a significant part of America's industrial economy -- and they're just as proud as they should be. First-time director Ben Powell, who served as cinematographer on "A Brave Heart: The Lizzie Velasquez Story," finds a rhythm and beauty in their seemingly mundane treks through America's waterways. Take a peek below.

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Before You Go

Summer Indie Movie Preview 2016
"The Lobster" (May 13)(01 of15)
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Written by Yorgos Lanthimos and Efthymis Filippou • Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos

Starring Colin Farrell, Rachel Weisz, John C. Reilly, Ben Whishaw, Léa Seydoux, Angeliki Papoulia and Ariane Labed

What to expect: With "Dogtooth" and "Alps," Yorgos Lanthimos created surreal worlds one step removed from functioning society. But in "The Lobster," he fashioned a full-fledged dystopian commonwealth in which all single people are given 45 days to find a partner before they are transformed into an animal of their choosing. The stunning dark comedy scored the jury prize at last year's Cannes Film Festival. One year and several festivals later, the public will finally get to lay eyes on it. [Trailer] (credit:A24)
"Love & Friendship" (May 13)(02 of15)
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Written and directed by Whit Stillman

Starring Kate Beckinsale, Chloë Sevigny, Xavier Samuel, Stephen Fry, Emma Greenwell and Jemma Redgrave

What to expect: The urban haute bourgeoisie in Whit Stillman's debut film, "Metropolitan," fiercely debated the work of Jane Austen. It's taken Stillman 26 years to adapt one of Austen's stories himself, and the wait is worth it. "Love & Friendship" is a biting comedy based on Lady Susan, a lesser-known Austen work that is concertedly unromantic. It concerns a manipulative widow seeking husbands for herself and her daughter. The movie will premiere on Amazon shortly after its theatrical opening. Pick one and see it. [Trailer] (credit:Roadside Attractions)
"Weiner" (May 20)(03 of15)
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Directed by Josh Kriegman and Elyse Steinberg

What to expect: When disgraced New York Congressman Anthony Weiner opted to run for mayor in 2013, he invited a documentary crew to capture what he thought would be a comeback. Instead, another sexting scandal led to his swift political demise -- and the cameras tracked it all. We're now gifted with a juicy portrait of a public collapse. [Trailer] (credit:IFC)
"Holy Hell" (May 27)(04 of15)
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Directed by Will Allen

What to expect: Will Allen joined a West Hollywood cult in 1985, becoming the group's de facto documentarian. Now he has blended stunning footage and revealing interviews with former members to craft a chilling look at a soul-sucking spirituality that imploded amid dark allegations about its leader. [Trailer] (credit:FilmRise)
"Swiss Army Man" (June 24)(05 of15)
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Written and directed by Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert (collectively known as Daniels)

Starring Paul Dano, Daniel Radcliffe and Mary Elizabeth Winstead

What to expect: At Sundance, "Swiss Army Man" was dubbed the "farting corpse movie." Believe the hype. In this bizarre dramedy, Paul Dano plays a loony dude marooned on an island. He's lost all hope, until a dead body washes ashore. They form a surreal connection that could help him find his way home. We saw the movie in January, and trust us: It's at once hilarious, poignant and infuriatingly stupid. You won't want to miss it. [Trailer] (credit:A24)
"Hunt for the Wilderpeople" (June 24)(06 of15)
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Written and directed by Taika Waititi

Starring Sam Neill, Julian Dennison, Rhys Darby, Rima Te Wiata, Rachel House and Stan Walker

What to expect: This comical manhunt of a yarn revolves around an insolent city kid who has child services on his tail after fleeing his cantankerous foster uncle's home. The movie has already broken New Zealand's record for the biggest opening weekend. It also marks another interesting transition for an indie auteur, as Taika Waititi will go from "Wilderpeople" and 2014's "What We Do in the Shadows" to 2017's "Thor: Ragnarok." [Trailer] (credit:The Orchard)
"The Neon Demon" (June 24)(07 of15)
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Written by Nicolas Winding Refn, Polly Stenham and Mary Laws • Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn

Starring Elle Fanning, Jena Malone, Bella Heathcote, Abbey Lee, Karl Glusman, Christina Hendricks and Keanu Reeves

What to expect: In "Drive" and "Only God Forgives," Nicolas Winding Refn made antiheroes out of angsty male criminals in neon-lit metropolises. In the thriller "The Neon Demon," he transposes that lens to a distinctly feminized fable, casting Elle Fanning as an aspiring model terrorized by Los Angeles' vanity-starved theatrics. [Trailer] (credit:Amazon Studios)
"Captain Fantastic" (July 8)(08 of15)
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Written and directed by Matt Ross

Starring Viggo Mortensen, George MacKay, Frank Langella, Kathryn Hahn, Steve Zahn, Ann Dowd, Erin Moriarty and Missi Pyle

What to expect: You know Matt Ross from "Silicon Valley," "Big Love" and "American Horror Story." But he's a director too, and his second venture behind the camera presents Viggo Mortensen as a beatnik raising his six kids in the wilds of the Pacific Northwest. When his wife dies, the clan leaves their haven and reintegrates with society, to whimsical and moving results. "Captain Fantastic" earned a standing ovation at its Sundance premiere in January. [Trailer] (credit:Bleecker Street)
"The Infiltrator" (July 13)(09 of15)
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Written by Ellen Brown Furman • Directed by Brad Furman

Starring Bryan Cranston, Yul Vaxquez, John Leguizamo, Diane Kruger, Benjamin Bratt, Amy Ryan, Olympia Dukakis and Saïd Taghmaoui

What to expect: Bryan Cranston is best known for playing a drug kingpin. In "The Infiltrator," he's batting for the other team. Cranston portrays Robert Mazur, a DEA agent who went undercover in the 1980s to bust Pablo Escobar's money-laundering operations. Maybe your best course would be to tread lightly, Pablo Escobar. [Trailer] (credit:Broad Green Pictures)
"Don't Think Twice" (July 22)(10 of15)
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Written and directed by Mike Birbiglia

Starring Mike Birbiglia, Gillian Jacobs, Keegan-Michael Key, Chris Gethard, Tami Sagher and Kate Micucci

What to expect: Mike Birbiglia set 2012's semi-autobiographical "Sleepwalk with Me" inside the often crushing world of stand-up comedy. His directorial follow-up, "Don't Think Twice," ventures to the often crushing improv scene. When one member of a tight-knit New York troupe is cast on an "SNL" analog, the other five must learn how to move forward without their makeshift family intact. The outcome is at once rollicking and somber. [No trailer available] (credit:The Film Arcade)
"Little Men" (Aug. 5)(11 of15)
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Written by Ira Sachs and Mauricio Zacharias • Directed by Ira Sachs

Starring Theo Taplitz, Michael Barbieri, Greg Kinnear, Paulina Garcia, Jennifer Ehle and Alfred Molina

What to expect: Ira Sachs made two of the decade's richest romances: 2012's gritty "Keep the Lights On" and 2014's graceful "Love is Strange." In "Little Men," he shifts the central love story to that of two platonic teen boys. But gentrification has swept Brooklyn, and when their parents' rent dispute threatens to split the pals apart, "Little Men" explores the melancholy clash between companionship and commerce. Adolescent devotion is rarely depicted this delicately. [Trailer] (credit:Magnolia Pictures)
"The Founder" (Aug. 5)(12 of15)
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Written by Robert Siegel • Directed by John Lee Hancock

Starring Michael Keaton, Laura Dern, Nick Offerman, Patrick Wilson, John Carroll Lynch, B.J. Novak and Linda Cardellini

What to expect: John Lee Hancock's specialty is sentimental biopics (see: "The Rookie," "The Blind Side," "Saving Mr. Banks"). He's sticking to that terrain with "The Founder," though he appears to be trading some of the bathos for unbridled ambition. Specifically, it's about the ambition of Illinois businessman Ray Kroc, who met two brothers by the name of McDonald and started the globe's biggest fast-food chain. Maybe you've heard of it? [Trailer] (credit:The Weinstein Company)
"Nine Lives" (Aug. 5)(13 of15)
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Written by Gwyn Lurie, Matt R. Allen, Caleb Wilson, Daniel Antoniazzi and Ben Shiffrin • Directed by Barry Sonnenfeld

Starring Kevin Spacey, Jennnifer Garner, Christopher Walken, Robbie Amell, Cheryl Hines and Mark Consuelos

What to expect: This is a movie where Kevin Spacey is transformed into a cat. He has one week to make amends with his family or he will stay that way forever. This is a real movie. We know because it took five whole people to finish the script. [Trailer] (credit:EuropaCorp)
"Florence Foster Jenkins" (Aug. 12)(14 of15)
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Written by Nicholas Martin • Directed by Stephen Frears

Starring Meryl Streep, Hugh Grant, Simon Helberg and Nina Arianda

What to expect: Florence Foster Jenkins was an early-20th-century heiress who self-financed a career in opera. The only problem? She was delusional about her singing abilities, becoming famous for her amateurish performances. Now Meryl Streep will play Jenkins in a biopic from the director of "High Fidelity" and "The Queen." The movie has already opened to glowing reviews in the United Kingdom. [Trailer] (credit:Paramount)
"Southside with You" (Aug. 26)(15 of15)
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Written and directed by Richard Tanne

Starring Parker Sawyers, Tika Sumpter and Vanessa Bell Calloway

What to expect: Ever wondered what Michelle and Barack Obama's first date was like? "Southside with You" attempts to tell us. The biopic chronicles the future president's initial efforts to woo Michelle, which included a trip to see "Do the Right Thing" and a smooch outside an ice-cream parlor. Apparently his efforts worked. [Trailer] (credit:Miramax)
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