Remind me to venture to the next Sundance Film Festival so I can get my fix of  up and coming independent film directors artfully telling IMO more meaningful stories than your average mainstream movie with overblown special effects…. Living close to NYC, I’ve always enjoyed the Tribeca FF for the same reason and also because I thought the event’s intent to restore the vitality back to the Tribeca neighborhood following Sept 11th was uplifting…. I know there are festivals like this worldwide and it’s on my list to visit them all! I’ll start with Sundance where I understand the documentary GasLand debuted and apparently caused great buzz. (Ok on to the topic)

I happened to see this film over the weekend and was drawn to the subject matter. Filmmaker Josh Fox shared his personal journey to explore how natural gas drilling may be harmfully affecting water wells in rural towns across America. He was curious when an oil and gas company expressed interest in his family’s land for drilling natural gas and the story took off from there.  His film made some very compelling arguments throughout…I must say, the depiction of something called “fracking” (hydraulic fracturing)-- a means for natural gas extraction that includes drilling deep into the ground and injecting chemicals that make it easier for natural gas to flow /be collected more freely-- was alarming. Not only because of its potential impact to the environment , but also for its long-term affects on people.  

Now I don’t know about you, but when someone can run water in their kitchen sink, hold a cigarette lighter to it and the water explodes on fire, I would say there’s problem. Dead animals showing up near streams in drilling red zones, people and kids getting sick with all kinds of ailments from constant headaches , cancer, to not being able to smell things or taste spices… Let alone the lack of regulatory control, corporate and gov’t shenanigans and global implications the film depicts.

THE PROBLEM……

This was one of those documentaries where I had to Google afterward to learn more. My parents live on the NJ/PA boarder,  where fracking may be considered and it inspired me to take direct action…I visited Josh’s site for additional information, but wanted to also see the Gas and Oil company’s perspective (you know, cover all bases). I found a Debunking GasLand site, which partially refuted some of the main points made in the film (Things that make you go hmmmm). Now I’m stuck in that grey area  between fact and fiction! Clearly at this point I need to do some further digging before I make up my mind about fracking. If parts of this documentary prove to be false, it’s a shame that someone would exploit people to make a political point in the name of “art” (I know, I know happens all the time right)….I like my documentaries entertaining, but most importantly, truthful… But if what Josh portrayed is right, this could transform into a serious health and environmental problem.

Anyone who may live in a “GasLand” state, I’d be curious to get your take on natural gas drilling.  Or if anyone saw the film, let me know your opinion.

Sass

Remind me to venture to the next Sundance Film Festival so I can get my fix of  up and coming independent film directors artfully telling IMO more meaningful stories than your average mainstream movie with overblown special effects…. Living close to NYC, I’ve always enjoyed the Tribeca FF for the same reason and also because I thought the event’s intent to restore the vitality back to the Tribeca neighborhood following Sept 11th was uplifting…. I know there are festivals like this worldwide and it’s on my list to visit them all! I’ll start with Sundance where I understand the documentary GasLand debuted and apparently caused great buzz. (Ok on to the topic)

I happened to see this film over the weekend and was drawn to the subject matter. Filmmaker Josh Fox shared his personal journey to explore how natural gas drilling may be harmfully affecting water wells in rural towns across America. He was curious when an oil and gas company expressed interest in his family’s land for drilling natural gas and the story took off from there.  His film made some very compelling arguments throughout…I must say, the depiction of something called “fracking” (hydraulic fracturing)-- a means for natural gas extraction that includes drilling deep into the ground and injecting chemicals that make it easier for natural gas to flow /be collected more freely-- was alarming. Not only because of its potential impact to the environment , but also for its long-term affects on people.  

Now I don’t know about you, but when someone can run water in their kitchen sink, hold a cigarette lighter to it and the water explodes on fire, I would say there’s problem. Dead animals showing up near streams in drilling red zones, people and kids getting sick with all kinds of ailments from constant headaches , cancer, to not being able to smell things or taste spices… Let alone the lack of regulatory control, corporate and gov’t shenanigans and global implications the film depicts.

THE PROBLEM……

This was one of those documentaries where I had to Google afterward to learn more. My parents live on the NJ/PA boarder,  where fracking may be considered and it inspired me to take direct action…I visited Josh’s site for additional information, but wanted to also see the Gas and Oil company’s perspective (you know, cover all bases). I found a Debunking GasLand site, which partially refuted some of the main points made in the film (Things that make you go hmmmm). Now I’m stuck in that grey area  between fact and fiction! Clearly at this point I need to do some further digging before I make up my mind about fracking. If parts of this documentary prove to be false, it’s a shame that someone would exploit people to make a political point in the name of “art” (I know, I know happens all the time right)….I like my documentaries entertaining, but most importantly, truthful… But if what Josh portrayed is right, this could transform into a serious health and environmental problem.

Anyone who may live in a “GasLand” state, I’d be curious to get your take on natural gas drilling.  Or if anyone saw the film, let me know your opinion.

Sass