Following the Water Front screening in Rochester, Wayne Howard organized a
terrific radio interview to discuss the Great Lakes Compact and water as a human right.
To listen to the interview:
http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wxxi/.jukebox?action=viewPodcast&podca...

How can homeowners learn about underground leaks? Can municipal governments fund such huge infrastructure repair costs? What is possible, as citizens respond to the conflicting needs for access to water and the costs of supplying it? The 35-member audience at Iowa Wesleyan College asked these and other questions after the screening of The Water Front in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, on Wednesday, October 22, 2008. Jon Keesecker, Senior Water Organizer for Food and Water Watch, offered answers and encouraged continued research and advocacy on the issue: by becoming aware of the problem and researching, by joining with other citizens to respond, and by supporting initiatives such as the infrastructure trust fund that F&WW promotes. Several students from the audience discussed their concerns raised by the film and the information Keesecker provided in an environmental literature course on Thursday. These conversations, as well as the responses from the community members and others at the screening, demonstrate the principle of grass-roots awareness – how consciousness gets raised one conversation at time, as each person talks with the next – that the course has addressed.

Tonight we did our first carbon free screening and Q & A with UBC Okanagan in Kelowna, Canada. Over 60 students attended the screening which was scheduled as a part of John Wagner's Environmental Anthropology course. We did a video conference through skype which turned out to be really easy! The questions were terrific and included; How is it possible that people's water can be turned off and who is ultimately responsible? Could this situation happen in a city that was not defined by a "one-track economy? Does the work to defend the right to water or fight water privatization begin at the grassroots level? What is happening in the community now? And the insider question of the evening - did the writers of "The Wire" (an incredible TV series from my home town)help to consult with the script? Dr. John Wagner, Assistant Professor of Anthropology is no stranger to water politics. He recently finished a three year project entitled, “From Scarcity to Abundance: the Political Ecology of Water Use in the Okanagan Valley” and explained the water challenges Okanagan Valley faces. Early in March John organized some exciting events for World Water Day including a water ceremony, a visit by Winona LaDuke, a visit to the Kelowna Wastewater Treatment, and a film Night. Its worth checking out.
http://web.ubc.ca/okanagan/publicaffairs/mediareleases/2008/mr-08-025.ht...
Thanks to John, Mike and Stephen for making this happen.

This Friday, November 7, 2008, The Water Front continues on the tour to Ohio, where it will screen at 7:30 PM, at the Yellow Springs Senior Center,
227 Xenia Ave., Yellow Springs, OH.

Immediately following the film, a panel of water experts including local water geology specialist Peter Townsend and professors Dr. Subramania I. Sritharan, Dr. Ramani Kandiah, and Dr. Krishna Kumar Nedunuri from the International Center for Water Resources Management at Central State University will respond to the film and the issues it raises, reflecting on the water resource situations that exist locally and globally.

"These discussions are essential to developing local, regional, national, and international plans for long-term sustainability. As the threats of global climate change accrue and expand, water will become a more and more pressing resource. Coming to understand the challenges of equitable water access is essential to avoiding the resource wars that could result over this absolutely essential resource," says professor and event organizer Dr. Colette Palamar.

This promises to be an exciting and informative night of documentary and debate.

For more information
http://www.wildandscenicfilmfestival.org

We are all trying to watch our carbon footprint and "The Water Front" along with UBC Okanagan in Kelowna has figured out a way to do this through a Green Friendly skype conference. Before and after the film, we will conduct a live video Q&A with Liz Miller which will be projected (just like the film) on the big screen. We will report on this later as we would like to repeat this on other places!

Curt Smith is going to Spain as part of the very first environmental film festival in Saragoza. The film plays at the Gala event and will begin at 8:30. With issues in Madrid heating up over water battles, the film will play at role in getting folks together. The theme song for the film will be used as the theme for the festival. For more info:
www.ecozine.es/produccion.html

There will be a panel discussion on water after the screening at Bookshelf Cinema.
For more infomation http://www.guelphfilmfest.org/

A huge audience turns out for second annual "Food and Water For Thought" festival hosted by the Hunger and Environmental Dietetic Practice Group and the American Overseas Dietetic Association (http://www.hendpg.com/ for more information). The film is screened with other films including, "Running Dry,""Who Pays the Cost of Hunger," and "The Silent Tsunami." Food and Water, Jon Keesecker joins Curt Smith in a lively debate after the screenings.