‘Boblo Boats’ documentary now streaming, on DVD
The Boblo boats are embarking on a new trip. Destination: your home.
“Boblo Boats: A Detroit Ferry Tale,” the award-winning documentary exploring the history of Boblo Island amusement park and its ferries, is now available to stream on demand and to own on DVD.
The film, which had its world premiere at Freep Film Festival in 2021, this year played theatrically in more than 20 cities across Michigan, Illinois, Indiana and Wisconsin. Now viewers everywhere can watch the film from home through the film’s Eventive virtual cinema release.
The release includes the original film and a new Q&A with Detroit’s City Historian Jamon Jordan, narrator Martha Reeves, director Aaron Schillinger and other contributors to the film. There are also 13 additional extras available on the DVD and the virtual release.
“There were so many fantastic scenes from our six years of production that ended up on the cutting room floor,” said Schillinger. “I had a blast digging through my old editing sequences to find the gems that just needed a little bit of polish before being ready to share.”
Highlights from the bonus content include the true story of how the mafia nearly acquired Boblo Island, a rendition of the original 1923 “Bob-Lo Song,” and an animated sequence depicting the father of the Boblo Boats, naval architect Frank Kirby.
Freep Film Festival, the documentary-focused festival produced by the Detroit Free Press, is partnering with the film on the virtual launch.
It’s $12 to stream the film and the Q&A. It’s $20 for a streaming package that includes all the bonus content, plus the film and Q&A. DVDs are $25.
Links to purchase a virtual screening of the film and a DVD are available at the film’s website, www.bobloboatsfilm.com.