In 1998, when amnesiac artist Bailey Lester, a restless Paris expat, returns to his hometown of Wilmington, North Carolina he becomes possessed by the ghost of an identical ancestor murdered and secretly buried a century ago during a white supremacist massacre. To appease the ghost, Bailey must find Balaam’s lost grave. In the interim, however, he unearths several shattering truths that will change his life forever.

SYNOPSIS:

In 1998, when amnesiac artist Bailey Lester, a restless Paris expat, returns to his hometown of Wilmington, North Carolina, he becomes possessed by the ghost of Balaam Futrelle, an identical ancestor murdered and secretly buried a century ago by George Giles Sr during a white supremacist massacre. To appease the ghost, Bailey - the last remaining male left in his small family - must find Balaam’s lost grave and give him a proper burial. Despite being relentlessly pursued by two men who believe Bailey killed their older brother ten years ago, Bailey enlists the aid of George Giles Sr’s great granddaughter, Georgi Giles, and 1898 documentary filmmaker, Kendra Parks, who help him locate and unearth Balaam’s remains. After Balaam’s new interment service, Georgi’s father, George Giles III - as a way of apology - offers Bailey the house his family rented from him for 30 years. Having also unearthed several shattering truths holding the potential to change his life forever, Bailey does not accept the apology and retreats back to Paris. Twenty-five years later, in Wilmington, with family and community, Bailey and Kendra commemorate three special occasions - the 125th commemoration of the fated city's devastating white supremacy massacre, their 25th wedding anniversary, and the birthday of their 20-year old son, Balaam Futrelle Lester III

WHAT THE RIVER KNOWS