Skylar Ford (Sean Johnson) is an aspiring writer with too much weight on his young shoulders. Bogged down by family responsibilities and career setbacks, Skylar searches for a balance between helping his mother (Alethea Bailey) take care of his sister Hannah (Adriana Ford), who suffers from sickle cell anemia, and finding a publishing house that will accept his work.

While Skylar attempts to hold the family together, a surprise visit from an unwelcome guest and a frightening event at Hannah's birthday party sends their feelings reeling. With the family's very foundation and faith tested to their limits, Skylar's dream now appears beyond reach. Based on a true story, Down by the River earned the Dove Foundation's highest honor of five doves.