Gasland Film Review
Currently there are many in the US that believe natural gas is at least part of the best answer to their energy issues, anyone entertaining that idea would most certainly will want to see this documentary before committing to this option.
Currently the USA has experienced the largest gas drilling boom in history. When Josh Fox an independent filmmaker is asked to lease his land for gas drilling for $100,000 he takes viewers with him oh his personal odyssey across the country to learn all he can about it. Turns out that a new technology called fracking developed by Halliburton in 2008 which is used to hydraulically fracture rock beneath the ground to release more natural gas many not be such as good thing for the environment and those living near drilling areas. Across the USA Fox talks to an assortment of scientists, politicians, land owners and gas industry executives. In the process Mr Fox discovers quite an assortment of corporate lies, deception and practices by the oil and gas companies that more than likely has caused contaminated air, water wells and/or surface water. In addition these environmental fiascos in turn probably were at least partly responsible for some serious health issues experienced by residents living within the proximity of gas wells and their infrastructure.
The film contains some infamous and dramatic shots of people living in some of these areas setting their drinking water on fire and invisible to the naked eye toxic vapors being released into the atmosphere. Unsettling to say the least is the government’s unwillingness or inability through agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) or the Safe Drinking Water Act to stop these large multinational companies from using this technology and/or silencing those already negatively affected by the use of settlement monies.
Now that legislators in the states of Pennsylvania and New York have allowed fracking to be used in the same areas that supplies unfiltered drinking water to millions of people the possible risks and consequences of these actions are frightening!
The film does more than allow for a glimpse through the eyes of Josh Fox and his cameras to see what others have experienced in Pennsylvania, New York, Ohio, West Virginia, Colorado, Wyoming, Utah and Texas etc. when it comes to the gas industry. This documentary exposes a larger societal problem relating to the behavior of corporations whose profit motive often forces them to seek doing business as fast and at the minimum cost possible and government’s lack of ability to protect citizens even when such business practices are harmful to the environment and human life.
Gasland Trainer (2010) on YouTube:
Gasland (2010) on YouTube:
Gasland premiered at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah where it won a Special Jury Prize. The 100 minute film has also:
Won
2011 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for Nonfiction Programming (Josh Fox)
2010 Environmental Media Award for Best Documentary Feature
2010 Sundance Film Festival Special Jury Prize
2010 Big Sky Documentary Film Festival Artistic Vision award
2010 Thin Line Film Festival Audience Award
2010 Yale Environmental Film Festival Grand Jury Prize
2010 Sarasota Film Festival Special Jury Prize
Nominated
2011 Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature
2011 Writer’s Guild Award for Best Documentary Screenplay
2011 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Cinematography for Nonfiction Programming (Josh Fox)
2011 Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Writing for Nonfiction Programming (Josh Fox)
2011 Primetime Emmy Award for Exceptional Merit in Nonfiction Programming (Josh Fox)
Gasland is available on DVD and streaming Netflix.
A sequel to Gasland titled Gasland Part II premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival in New York City on April 21, 2013
Personal Film Review: 5 out of 5 stars, Gasland is most certainly worth your time and really needs to be somewhere on your top five documentaries to watch next list.
Green-Eco-EV News Reporting by Ken Green Burridge
Kenneth Burridge test-drives electric Nissan LEAF in Melbourne Australia
EV of the Year Judge, independent green journalist, photographer, author and sustainability activist that has published over 1000 articles. Mr Burridge’s travels have taken him to over 30 countries and 300+ major cities. He is originally from the USA, but has been residing in Australia for the last seven years. Connect to Ken Burridge on: Twitter, facebook, Google+, Linked in or website
