“Boblo Boats: A Detroit Ferry Tale,” a documentary exploring the rich history of Boblo Island amusement park and its ferries, the two oldest surviving passenger steamboats in America, will have its theatrical release in September 2022.
Narrated from the perspective of the beloved steamboat SS Columbia, the documentary follows preservationists’ efforts to save her sister ship Ste. Claire from the scrapyard. Columbia’s character is voiced by Motown legend Martha Reeves who turns 81 years old on July 18 and is set to receive her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame later this year.
The documentary, which the Detroit Metro Times called “a magical mystery boat ride of the film,” played at film festivals across the country. It was selected as the Opening Night film of the 2021 Freep Film Festival where it sold out all three of its screenings and was awarded the Hometown Talent Award.
“Boblo Island and the boats that took us there hold a special place in the hearts of many metro Detroiters, but this isn’t just a nostalgia exercise,” said the Freep Film Festival’s artistic director, Kathy Kieliszewski. “This film is about now — and the people dedicated to preserving history and memories despite some extreme hurdles.”
SS Columbia is presently owned by a New York-based nonprofit endowed with grants and employing experienced nautical preservationists. They are resurrecting Columbia into a traveling museum and event space in Buffalo, leaving Ste. Claire as Detroit’s last vestige of Boblo Island. Claire’s fate rests in the hands of an unlikely band of heroes: a doctor, a psychic, and an amusement park fanatic.
The documentary is the feature-length debut for Detroit area filmmaker Aaron Schillinger. “I’m actually not a boat guy,” Schillinger said. “I became fascinated with the story when a woman told me about her psychic connection with a ferry boat.” Gloria Davis is one of the main characters in the film, and one of the many Detroiters who describe two distinct personalities of SS Columbia and Ste. Claire. “I was naturally skeptical but intrigued that Gloria could hear the “Boblo Boat” Columbia speak to her. Once I learned about the generations of fond memories made aboard these ships, I was hooked on the story.”
The film also sheds light on the largely forgotten civil rights pioneer, Sarah E. Ray, who forced the integration of Boblo Island in 1945. Further, the film unearths the buried tale of Sugar Island, a former amusement park directly neighboring Boblo Island that was purchased by African Americans to be a “park for their own race” in retaliation against Boblo’s segregationist policies.
“So many Detroiters remember the Halcyon days of sailing to Boblo Island. Fewer remember the courageous stand of Sarah E. Ray,” said Desiree Cooper, author and award-winning former columnist for the Detroit Free Press. “We have to thank Schillinger for his vision, his commitment to historical context, and his inclusive approach to storytelling.”
The film also features newly discovered archival footage digitized by the Detroit Historical Society. Seeing the film in theaters gives viewers a unique opportunity to see footage of Boblo Island and the boats in 4K resolution.
The film opens in select Detroit theaters on September 16th and will expand to more locations in the following weeks. The film will also have an extended run at The Mariner theater in Marine City where it will be accompanied by a special Boblo museum exhibit for the entire month of September. Following the premiere screenings, there will be a Q&A with the filmmakers and the Boblo Boat restoration teams.
“I look forward to sharing all the progress we have made on Ste. Claire with the audience,” said Steve Faraj, Restoration Supervisor of Ste. Claire. Faraj’s team has completed rebuilding the first three decks of Ste Claire that were destroyed in the devastating fire of July 6, 2018. They plan to complete the rest of the structure by the end of this year.
Currently docked in Buffalo at Silo City, SS Columbia is now undergoing restoration. “Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the 207’ by 60’ five-deck vessel’s elegant interiors, once adorned with mahogany paneling, etched and leaded glass, gilded moldings and a grand staircase, will be brought back to life,” said Linda Schineller, Chair of the SS Columbia Project Board.
For the latest on screening times and to watch a trailer of “Boblo Boats: A Detroit Ferry Tale,” please visit the website: https://www.bobloboatsfilm.com/
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