High Plains Films New Releases
High Plains Films
POWDER RIVER COUNTRY
New Coal Bed Methane Documentary Available
March 1, 2005
POWDER RIVER COUNTRY, a new High Plains Film by first-time director, Marianne Zugel, documents coal bed methane development in Montana and Wyoming
Advance DVDs are available.
More Information and a short trailer from the movie available on-line at:
http://www.highplainsfilms.org/fp_powder.html
"In its own quiet way, there is hardly a landscape in America lovelier than the
hills of northeastern Wyoming. The drama of that countryside is understated,
except when the weather bears down hard. The Powder River Basin is also the most
active region of coal-bed methane drilling in the nation, a place where in the
next few years more than 50,000 wells will have been drilled to obtain, at most,
a year's supply of natural gas."
- New York Times
"Driven by soaring prices, empowered by federal mining law and cheered on by the
Bush administration, energy companies have been unstoppable in recent years as
they march through the Rocky Mountain West searching for natural gas."
- Washington Post
A new documentary from High Plains Films that looks at coalbed methane development and its impacts in Wyoming and Montana is now available for exhibition and broadcast. High Plains Films is seeking distribution in all markets.
POWDER RIVER COUNTRY tells the story of concerned citizens playing catch-up to an industry on the development fast track and their efforts to protect the integrity of the Powder River Basin landscape.
The 34 minute film documents the current situation and contentious issues surrounding the development of the newly discovered coal bed methane (CBM) from ground zero of the globally-reaching boom. In a setting whose history is tightly intertwined with energy development, the rush for CBM and the havoc created in its wake is polarizing communities throughout the American West.
The New York Times sums up the current situation, "The methane play, as the industry likes to call it, is being sold on the grounds of energy security, as a way of ensuring that the American lifestyle can continue uninterrupted and undiminished. But what that means is turning everything upside down. All that drilling and scarring, all that animosity and moral erosion lead to one year's supply of natural gas and the waste of billions of gallons of water."
POWDER RIVER COUNTRY offers the opportunity to view CBM development first-hand through the eyes of landowners, whose families have worked the on the land and with traditional energy development for generations. Industry, local government officials, regulators, and scientists engage in the discourse, which is shaping future development worldwide. Aerial and up-close, on-the-ground images of development, partnered with the subtle beauty of the rugged terrain and riverside pastoral scenes, invoke a sense of the pervasiveness of this development and how it is changing vast areas of the Western high plains.
LIBBY, MONTANA
April 4, 2005
"Libby, Montana" Feature Documentary Now Available on DVD.
The documentary feature, "Libby, Montana," is now available on a limited-edition DVD with over an hour of bonus material including deleted scenes, trailers, and more. It is available exclusively from the High Plains Films web site http://www.highplainsfilms.org/fp_libby.html.
Libby made national headlines last month, when a ten-count criminal indictment was handed down to seven top executives and managers of W. R. Grace and Company on February 7. An Official from the Environmental Protection Agency called the allegations against Grace and its executives "one of the most significant environmental indictments in our history." U. S. Attorney Bill Mercer called Libby a "human and environmental tragedy". He said he seeks to hold Grace and some of its executives accountable for criminal misconduct, including keeping secret numerous studies spelling out the risk of tremolite asbestos to its customers, employees and Libby residents.
The documentary, filmed between 2000 and 2004, chronicles the history of Graceıs involvement in the rural town of Libby, and the events which resulted in at least 200 deaths and many more hundreds of victims of asbestos-related lung abnormalities. The film closely follows the lives of Libby residents as they struggle to deal with what some officials have called one of the worst public health crises in U. S. history.
"Justice is distorted, and our economy is held back, by irresponsible class actions and frivolous asbestos claims - and I urge Congress to pass legal reforms this year." President George W. Bush, State of Union address, February 2, 2005
Asbestos litigation reform continues to be a major issue in President Bushıs tort reform proposals. While Congress has yet to act on the new proposals, Libby residents, as well as asbestos victims all over the U.S, continue to closely monitor the debate. The outcome of these asbestos policies could affect how, when, and how much compensation asbestos victims can receive for their astronomical health expenses.
Reviews of LIBBY, MONTANA:
"Emotionally powerful. Intense."
- Willamette Week
"**** Tragic, infuriating, edifying. A quietly savvy approach to storytelling."
- See Magazine
"With an artful interweaving of the town's economic history and the life (and
death) stories of various individuals, the film picks up a compelling rhythm,
inexorably pulling you along. Libby, Montana is a big film about a big problem,
well balanced and well told."
- Montana Magazine
"Definitely deserves Oscar consideration."
- Illinois Times
" **** Sensational. Best feature documentary of 2004."
- Steve Fesenmaier, West Virginia Library Commission
"Equal parts mystery, horror film, black comedy, corporate indictment and human
tragedy Libby, Montana is expertly compiled and genuinely compassionate when
addressing the people involved. The film pulsates with urgency and commitment,
and manages splendidly without the abrasive finger-pointing and knee-jerk
aggression that has marred reportage in our age of so-called reality television."
- www.flickhead.com
"Carr and Hawes-Davis have never shied away from eliciting strong emotional
responses, but this film reaches a new level ... it's depth and pace, as well
as the fantastic archival footage, give it gravitas."
- High Country News
"Incisive and unrelenting."
- Mother Jones
"Employing impressive imagery and flashbacks, this film not only tells of a
failed American environmental policy, but also of courage, hope and dedication."
- Okomedia Institute
"**** Touching."
- filmcritic.com
"Thoughtful and wrenching." Portland Mercury
"The film chronicles the heroic efforts of one EPA chief, parachuted into the
disaster zone. It follows his rounds amongst innocent, good, loyal townsfolk
who put their trust in the "company." Although the film is about restitution,
honour, and, helping a town recover, it is rife with political scandal."
- Trailpeak.com
"Richly rewarding."
- Bozeman Daily Chronicle
"As the townfolk rally and emotions and accusations fly, Libby finds itself
under a national spotlight as the case gains prominence and the US government
feigns impotence in the wake of corporate indifference. A companion piece to
Soderbergh's Erin Brockovich, Libby, Montana is the powerful and shocking
story of a town left to die, but which battled to survive."
- Bradford Film Festival
AMERICAN VALUES: AMERICAN WILDERNESS
Narrated by the late Christopher Reeve, now available on DVD exclusively from High Plains Films.
AMERICAN VALUES, AMERICAN WILDERNESS, the new documentary narrated by the late Christopher Reeve, looks at the value of wild country as seen though interviews with a diverse group of Americans from across the United States is now available on DVD exclusively from the High Plains Films www site at http://www.highplainsfilms.org/fp_american.html.
The first 100 orders will also receive a complimentary copy of either VARMINTS http://www.highplainsfilms.org/fp_varmint.html or THE NATURALIST http://www.highplainsfilms.org/fp_naturalist.html, two other acclaimed documentaries from High Plains Films (specific title will depend on current availability).
AMERICAN VALUES, AMERICAN WILDERNESS will also begin airing on PBS stations across the country in the fall. American Public Television (APT) will distribute the program to the PBS network. Visit http://www.aptonline.org for details. Janson Media http://www.janson.com will handle foreign TV distribution. Broadcasters outside the U.S., please contact Steve Janson at steve@janson.com.
AMERICAN VALUES: AMERICAN WILDERNESS weaves together the stories of Americans' passionate love of wild places through the narration of the late Christopher Reeve.
This one-hour documentary introduces viewers to a wide range of people from Florida to Alaska, including among others: a teen-age daughter of Cambodian refugees. a children's book author, a cancer survivor, a Native American tribal chairman, a man increasingly disabled by polio, and inner city kids visiting wilderness for the first time.
These people share their values for wilderness as a place of sanctuary for animals and plants, the source of clean air and water, a place for challenge and spiritual renewal, and as a legacy for future generations. Their experiences and hopes are interspersed with photography of some of the beautiful wild lands that have captured their hearts.
A labor of love for Reeve, the late actor donated his time and energy to this film - one of his last on-screen appearances before his death in October 2004. As he concludes, "It's been a while since I was in a wilderness. It might take a bit longer before I do get to go back to one. But even if that never happens, I will always value wilderness."
AMERICAN VALUES: AMERICAN WILDERNESS is directed and produced by Christopher Barns, Doug Hawes-Davis and Drury Gunn Carr.
View a list of up-coming screenings/broadcasts, a short trailer from the movie, and more at http://www.highplainsfilms.org/fp_american.html
Contact:
High Plains Films
131 South Higgins Avenue, Suite 201
Missoula
Montana 59807
(406) 728-0753
email: YAK
web: www.highplainsfilms.org
High Plains Films catalog
To receive a full High Plains Films catalog in PDF format, send an email to: Catalog.
High Plains Films
P.O. Box 8796
Missoula
Montana 59807
(406) 543-6726
email: YAK
web: www.highplainsfilms.org
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