DOXA 2009: Waterlife trailer

Kevin McMahon, Canada, 2009, 109 minutes

Tuesday May 26 | 6:30PM | Pacific Cinémathèque

Filmmaker in attendance

From the icy cliffs of Lake Superior to the ornate fountains of Chicago, from the rain-swept streets of Detroit to the sewers of Windsor and beyond, Waterlife follows the epic cascade of the Great Lakes to the Atlantic Ocean. The Great Lakes of North America supply twenty percent of the earths fresh water, with 35 million people drinking this water every day.

With stunning photography, underwater and above, Waterlife pays homage to this incredible and complex body of water and the life it contains. We observe as it transforms the societies it passes through and, in turn, is transformed by them.

Yet, beyond this extraordinary beauty, the Great Lakes are in an extreme state of distress. Under assault by a deadly combination of industrial toxins, sewage, invasive species, dropping water levels, and profound human apathy, the lakes verge on irreversible collapse.

Director Kevin McMahon takes viewers on a tour of an incredibly beautiful ecosystem that faces complex challenges, and gives viewers a visceral understanding of the element that is so integral to our lives. Along the way we meet a wide-ranging group of people who are connected to the Great Lakes. These people tell their stories of the region, sharing what is meaningful and necessary about this water from their perspectives. In the end, Waterlife has the power to transform how we see water and to inspire us to act before its too late.

Narrated by The Tragically Hips Gord Downie, the film is propelled by a soaring soundtrack featuring music by Sam Roberts, Sufjan Stevens, Sigur Ros, Robbie Robertson, and Brian Eno. Filled with fascinating characters and stunning imagery, Waterlife is a cinematic epic about the beauty of water and the dangers of taking it for granted.

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• Kevin McMahon
• The Great Lakes
• Water
• Conservation
• Canada
• DOXA
• DOXA Festival
• Documentary Films
• Vancouver
• Gord Downie
• fresh water
• North America

[amaroclaro]

Yep it's on DVD, Kevin is a friend we have copies

[rebolyte]

Would definitely like to see it. DVD anytime soon?