A groundbreaking documentary, Thirst (thank you again, Bay Area filmmakers), asks:
Did you know that over a billion people lack access to safe drinking water? Each year, millions of children die (one child every 8 seconds) of diseases caused by unsafe water. The numbers are increasing. ~ Is water part of a shared "commons," a human right for all people? Or is it a commodity to be bought, sold, and traded in a global marketplace? "Thirst" tells the stories of communities in Bolivia, India, and the United States that are asking these fundamental questions.
The film explores how population growth, pollution, and scarcity are turning water into "blue gold," the oil of the 21st century, and how global corporations are rushing to gain control of this dwindling natural resource, producing intense conflict in the US and worldwide where people are dying in battles over control of water.
You can see the National Broadcast Premiere of the documentary on Tuesday, July 13, 2004, at 10:00 p.m. on PBS's "P.O.V." series (check your local listings).
If you live in the Bay Area, the film is playing at The Roxie Cinema in San Francisco, from Friday, June 18 through Thursday, June 24. Guest speakers will be present at many of the screenings.
Community Groups and Unions can order a VHS copy for only $59 (the DVD will be released soon as well).
Is it just me or is this the year of the impact movies? There was Super Size Me, The Corporation, A Day Without a Mexican, Fahrenheit 9/11, and now this one. The amazing thing is that these movies are seeing relatively wide distribution which means a lot of people are seeing them. I'm hoping we'll look back on this year as the year that things made a turn for the better, because of movies. That would especially be true if Moore's movie influences the Presidential election in November.
Posted by: Chad | Friday, June 25, 2004 at 08:14 AM