In the case of fracking, what you don’t know can hurt you. That’s why Food & Water Watch, New Yorkers Against Fracking, NYPIRG, and Western NY Drilling Defense are all getting together to promote a movie screening series throughout the months of February and March. If you missed Rita Yelda’s recent article on BRO, be sure to take a look at what’s been happening in the land of fracking.
In any case, if you’ve been following the issue, then you’re most likely aware of the film Gasland, the 2010 Oscar-nominated documentary by Josh Smith that blew the cover off the fracking industry. As a follow up, Gasland II has now been released, reigniting the battle between the gas industry and the anti-fracking community on a global scale.
To add to the sense of urgency regarding the harmful nature of the shale gas industry, yet another investigative film called Triple Divide delves into the corruption of one public agency (Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection) that shows just how callous the players are that are supposed to be safeguarding the public and the environment from the dangers of fracking. It’s a showdown between enviro-justice activists and an industry that completely disregards the effects of contaminated water on public health in order to make a quick buck. The film is co-directed by journalists Joshua Pribanic and Melissa Troutman, and is narrated with help from actor and advocate Mark Ruffalo.
The following screenings are free and open to the public.
Gasland II: Thursday, Feb. 20th 7 PM at Buffalo State College – Bulger Communications Center, 1300 Elmwood Ave, Buffalo
Triple Divide: Tuesday, March 4th 7 PM at The New Brighton Library 999 Brighton Rd, Tonawanda
WNY Premier with filmmaker Melissa Troutman
Gasland II: Sunday, March 9th 2 PM at Frank E. Merriweather Library 1324 Jefferson Ave, Buffalo
Triple Divide: Thursday, March 13th 7 PM at Buffalo State College – Bulger Communications Center, 1300 Elmwood Ave, Buffalo
Triple Divide: Thursday, March 20th 5:30 PM at Frank E. Merriweather Library 1324 Jefferson Ave, Buffalo