Virtual Anti-Fracking Filmfest, 2014
When Pennsylvania’s own anti-fracking superstar, Elizabeth Arnold, went on tour in Britain to warn people about the problems faced here and in other shale gas drilling states, she gave this highly informative 20-minute interview.
After providing a concise overview of the problems common to shale gas development, and personally defending the people of Gasland, she recommends a few lesser known films, too.
Liz Arnold’s number one pick? Triple Divide, an award-winning film by Melissa Troutman and Joshua Pribanic of PublicHerald.org:
“Triple Divide is the powerful, acclaimed product of an 18-month investigation by Public Herald into the negative impacts from fracking in Pennsylvania since 2008, and how those impacts are handled by regulators and industry. The film is co-narrated by actor, activist and Water Defense co-founder, Mark Ruffalo.”
Drill, Baby, Drill is a film by Lech Kowalski: “One day the people who live in a small village located in far eastern Poland near the Ukranian border, an ecologically pristine agricultural area known as the lungs of Poland, discover that Chevron, the world’s forth largest energy corporation plans to build a shale gas well in their village.”
Fractured Land recounts the riveting struggle a young, First Nations man in his fight for environmental human rights for all people. The film is directed and produced by Fiona Rayher and Damien Gillis: “A young First Nations law student and emerging leader from northeast BC, epicenter of some of the worlds largest fracking operations, tries to reconcile the fractures within himself, his community and the world around him – blending modern tools of the law with ancient wisdom.”
On Further Investigation
Arnold also recommends reading The List of The Harmed, which has posted over 6,000 accounts of people negatively impacted by shale gas development to date, plus the numerous documentaries, reports and testimonials found on the ShaleShockMedia.org‘s YouTube Channel.
“Shaleshock Action Alliance is a movement that works toward protecting our communities and environment from exploitative gas drilling in the Marcellus Shale region. Shaleshock Media is a network of artists and media activists who engage their skills and talents as part of this movement. Our network is open to videographers, audio recordists and engineers, still photographers, media activists, graphic designers, and artists of all sorts to showcase and syndicate our work, encourage collaboration, offer our services, and provide mutual support.”
Fright Night For Drillers
Who’s afraid of the independent lens? Around the world, the number of documentaries covering the impacts of gas drilling and extreme energy extraction has been exploding. Here are a few more films making rounds, and waves, this summer:
Groundswell Rising looks at “the moral issue of our time” and asks pertinent questions, like, if shale gas drilling is so safe why is it exempt from federal standards?
“The film takes us back to the groundswells of the past such as the civil rights movement, women’s rights, the denormalization of cigarette smoking, and the environmental movement, for connection and inspiration. And looking forward we see how the resistance to fracking is part of a growing movement towards dealing with climate change and making the transition to sustainable energy. The notion that burning more fossil fuels as a bridge to a cleaner planet is explored.”
Sometimes, A Story Finds You
The film Unearthed by South African filmmaker, Jolynn Minaar, offers “a rare glimpse into the murky waters surrounding the shale gas industry.” According to EcoWatch, “If its stunning, action-packed trailer is any indication, Unearthed should live up to the production team’s claim of it being the most extensive collection of material covering fracking.”
“Unearthed, an independent South African feature documentary, investigates fracking in the United States – the technology’s place of origin – in order to understand what this new method of gas extraction could mean for the semi-arid Karoo and other countries who are considering its implementation.”
An Autumn Diary, is an upcoming British film which bills itself as “a curiously uplifting adventure.” I’m curious!
The Delaware Riverkeeper Network YouTube Channel is a treasure trove of information, interviews, videos and public outreach media concerning the Delaware River watershed and its communities.
The channel is produced by the Delaware Riverkeeper Network.
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