Belle Isle Marsh
An exploration of Boston’s last remaining salt marsh
Directed by Deniz Akyurek
Deniz Akyurek's short film, Belle Isle Marsh, delves into the rich history and environmental significance of Boston's last remaining salt marsh. Through a captivating blend of 16mm, archival, and digital footage, Akyurek captures the passage of time and the evolving impact of climate change on our surroundings with a deeper understanding of the marsh's significance and the human connection to it.
Boston and Belle Isle Marsh seem like an unexpected but delightful duo for a film. How did you find yourself here filming the marsh and were there any memorable moments or challenges during the production that significantly influenced the final outcome of the film?
I go to college at Emerson in Boston, and I got to know the Belle Isle Marsh from a few friends of mine who had been there. The marsh is not only a protected reservation, but also a public park. Many Bostonians know and love the Belle Isle Marsh.
Our actual shoot was short and rather uneventful, and it was the post production process which proved to be most influential to the final film. The film started as a non-narrative visual love letter to the marsh. I only had the 16mm footage, and the piece of music by Koichi Shimizu. The edit was a challenge, trying to keep the piece from becoming a travel film or camera test. I eventually decided to take the footage in a more narrative direction. This led to me finding the wonderful Jack Markley interview, and collaborating with The Friends of Belle Isle Marsh, a non-profit organization, to find more archival footage. Without these elements, I would never have uncovered the story that I did, about the marsh’s history, and the man who lived there for years.
Your collaboration with Jack Markley creates a sense of relatability, accountability and closeness to the pressing issues at Belle Isle Marsh which are communicated so convincingly in the film. How did you come to find and choose Jack as the narrator?
I found his interview online from the early 2000’s, and was immediately struck by his charisma and voice. He has a classic Boston accent and is very candid in his interview. He reminded me of people I knew from my childhood in New England, friends dads and hockey coaches. I think people like Markley make for the best kinds of interviewees, someone who is authentic and speaks from the heart, with a bright and vibrant energy, and an interesting voice. His interview was not only informative about the history of the marsh, but added a very human and emotional aspect to the film that I wasn’t expecting to find.
The message 'they is us' was powerfully communicated and resonated so prominently throughout Belle Isle Marsh. How did you navigate the balance between raising awareness about environmental issues and maintaining a sense of hope or empowerment throughout the film?
I think this is essentially the job of a documentarian in a lot of ways. You have to document what is there, and be as truthful as you can, but without perspective there is no story. This is what was so great about Markley’s interview, it was all there already. The hope, and the awareness of the marsh as it is and was. He has a clear perspective on things, but it doesn't keep him from being hopeful and imbuing that hope into his interview.
The final text card reads “by 2050 rising sea levels will eradicate the marsh, and its wildlife.” This is a depiction of the threat that is faced by many coastal cities and salt marshes, one that is necessary and substantiated, yet grim. I think the message of “they is us,” is a way to balance this depiction, to say that there is still hope, and there are actions we can take collectively to halt flooding and pollution. Navigating that balance was certainly a challenge, but I think by following Markley’s narration I was able to utilize footage and text cards in a way which would visually balance hope and reality.
Can you elaborate on the decision to shoot the film on 16mm film, and how this choice contributed to the overall visual tone and narrative of the piece?
I love shooting on film and the choice to shoot on 16 was made very early on. It originated as an effort to preserve the memory of the marsh on a physical format. So that in 50 years, there would be a roll of film depicting the marsh and how it once looked. This is what is so special about film, unlike digital it is a real and tangible object that can preserve memories. Since I had not yet conceptualized the narrative and thematic story for the film before shooting, I didn’t know how much the choice of shooting on 16 would impact it, and without that decision I would’ve lost the main visual motifs that are present in the final film.
Jack Markley's efforts to clean up Belle Isle Marsh are a central theme in the film. How did you approach capturing the transformation over time, and what challenges did you face in visually communicating this narrative arc?
I knew once I had found Markley’s interview that the story would involve trash and pollution. After I had found his interview, I went back to the marsh and shot all the digital footage in the film. My intention in the edit was to utilize all the footage I had collected of trash left at the Marsh, along with the signs and messages left on the observation tower (people imprinted quotes like “keep the park clean” on the wooden tower). I thought these visuals were a great way to visually portray the marsh’s history with pollution and mistreatment, and to compliment Markley’s interview.
In order to capture the transformation over time, I again leaned on the juxtaposition of film, digital, and archival footage.
“It was my intention with this film to create a feeling of passing time and evolution through the juxtaposition of three different formats: digital, 16mm, and archival footage.”
The juxtaposition of archival and digital footage with film shots creates a powerful contrast. Can you elaborate on the symbolism behind this choice and how it contributes to the overall message of the film?
It was my intention with this film to create a feeling of passing time and evolution through the juxtaposition of three different formats: digital, 16mm, and archival footage. By doing so I aimed to visually represent climate change and how it has begun to affect the areas around us, like our beloved Belle Isle Marsh. It’s meant to be a local story which has global applications. You can substitute the Belle Isle Marsh with any coastal marsh and be left with a similar story about rising sea levels and pollution.
The soundtrack and sound design in the film play a crucial role in enhancing the viewer's experience. Could you discuss how you collaborated with Zoe Deyermond to complement the visuals and convey the emotional journey of the narrative?
Zoe’s sound design was a very important part of the post production process. We wanted to bring the marsh to life through visuals and sound, and much of that came through the ambient sound design of the marsh. We tried to create a soundscape which sounded full and lively, to contrast with the grey digital footage of the marsh, and compliment the warm and nostalgic 16mm footage. The goal was to again produce a sense of time, and to use sound in a way which aided our visual motifs.
Now that you've beautifully captured the story of Belle Isle Marsh, what's next? Do you have exciting plans to take this narrative to new audiences and locations?
The film is premiering at a film festival which I can’t mention yet, which will screen later in April. It will continue it’s festival run at a few local festivals after.
Apart from this doc, I’m currently in post production on a new coming-of-age film which I’m excited to release later this year, and prepping for a new doc which I’ll be filming in my home state of Massachusetts once again this summer.
Director: Deniz Akyurek
Featuring: Jack Markley
Cinematography by: Deniz Akyurek and Mingxi Wang
Produced by: Haozhe Bu
Sound Design by: Zoe Deyermond
Music by: Koichi Shimizu
Edited by: Deniz Akyurek
Special thanks to Barbara Bishop and The Friends of Belle Isle Marsh