TheWaterFrontMovie/CompleteStory
Water is the liquid gold of the 21st century. While corporations urge local governments to privatize municipal water, communities around the world are organizing to ensure affordable access to this life sustaining resource. THE WATER FRONT is the story of one community's determination to fight the seemingly inevitable path of water privatization.
Highland Park, Michigan – the birthplace of mass production is a post-industrial city on the verge of financial collapse. The state of Michigan has appointed an Emergency Financial Manager to fix the crisis. The manager sees the water plant, which Henry Ford built in 1917 to support his expanding empire, as a valuable resource. She has raised water rates and implemented severe measures to collect on water bills. As a result, Highland Park residents have received water bills as high as $10,000, they have had their water turned off, their homes foreclosed, and are struggling to keep water, a basic human right, from becoming privatized. THE WATER FRONT follows the personal story of Vallory Johnson, who transforms her anger into an emotional grassroots campaign, defending affordable water as a human right.
THE WATER FRONT is not just about water, but touches on the very essence of our democratic system. The film presents a community in crisis but it also presents the powerful enactment of local participation in finding solutions to the problems of our times.
This community portrait is also an unnerving indication of what's in store for residents around the world as cities look to update water systems and face increasingly complex issues such as water shortage and the rapidly growing industry of bottled water.
The film raises questions such as; Who determines the future of shared public resources? What are alternatives to water privatization? How will we maintain our public water systems and who can we hold accountable?
Contents
Festivals and Awards:
- Preview Screening - Ecofilms Rodos International Film and Visual Arts Festival
- Greece, May 2007
- Awarded - Ramsar Medwet Award
- "Water is not only an issue affecting poor countries. Everywhere in the world, people are facing a diversity of difficulties in accessing water. And the characters Liz Miller choose to portray in her film are particularly strong, in their interesting way of facing up the situation, reacting, gathering, getting involved and fighting together. Covering all water issues, from pricing to privatization and – above all- the human right to WATER, this film sends a strong message on the way public participation and action can overcome problems". Melanie Giard, Communication Officer at the World Water Council and Kostas Vassilakis, Official Secretary of the Special Permanente Environment Protection Committee.
The Water Front in the News
- May 23, 2007, Metro Times, Detroit: Water Fight Makes Highland Park symbol of a Worldwide issue from the MetroTimes.com
- June 24, 2007, Civic Ventures: Marian Kramer gains national recognition through a Purpose Prize Nomination from Civic Ventures in San Francisco.
- Perusse, Bernard. (2007, November 2). Reality Bites. The Gazette, E1.
- Kelly, Jeanette. (2007, November 16). Interview with Liz Miller. Home Run - CBC Radio 104.7 FM Montreal.
The Water Front on the web
- May 17, 2007, Another Front in the Battle Against Water Privatization: Highland Park, MI from OnTheCommons.org
- May 28, 2007, Water, Water, Everywhere, But Not a Drop to Drink from GrowDetroit.com.
Endorsements
We face a huge challenge in the U.S. to sustain our current level of water provision and standards. As a false solution we have allowed multinational corporations to set the political agenda for water management. We need materials such as The Water Front in order to start the crucial discussions of the management of our water resources and find the difficult solutions that will take not only the power of elected officials, but the commitment of our communities. The Water Front will help push water front and center for our decision makers who have failed to act. -- Maj Fiil - Food & Water Watch
The community leaders profiled in The Water Front are good examples of the wealth of talent and experience among older adults that’s ready to be tapped for solving social problems. The film is very much in line with Civic Ventures’ mission to reframe the debate about the aging of America by redefining the second half of life as a source of social and individual renewal. -- David Banks, Executive Director, Civic Ventures.
If you care about water and your ability to access it, you need to see The Water Front -- Ezra Winton, Programmer of Cinema Politica
The Water Front is like a dramatic play with a gripping plot. The music is a great combo of Detroit electronic and Joe Carter's blues and provides a moving background as the cast engages in a hometown struggle that can resonate with anyone who uses their tap and takes pride in their home.” -- Eunice Yu, Free Lance Journalist.
“As water becomes scarcer and more expensive globally, managers of poor cities like HP all over will be tempted to sell their most precious commodity even if they are unable to provide water to their own communities. They need viable alternative models and a commons movement that shares their dilemmas so that our beautiful Great Lakes water does not succumb to the Siren's call of the quick and fickle market”. -- Eunice Yu, Free Lance Journalist
Where to See The Water Front
- Montreal, Friday November 16, 2007: at UQAM's Coeur des Sciences (ÉcoCaméra section) 175, avenue du Président-Kennedy Montreal, QC [[1]
- Amherst College, November 6th
- The San Jose Local Organizing Committee for the San Jose Labor Party will screen the film as part of their Economic Justice Film Series - date to be confirmed.
- October 28, Chalkidas, Greece, local ecological group
Past Events / Screenings
- Sunday November 11th, Margaret Mead Film & Video Festival 2007
- Toronto, October 24 - 28: Toronto's Planet in Focus Festival will present THE WATER FRONT PlanetInFocus.org phttp://www.planetinfocus.org]
- Hampshire College, November 1, 2007 6:00 p.m. West Lecture Hall, Franklin Patterson Hall via WesternMassAFSC.org event
- October 15th, Bioneers Conference in Detroit - Contact: Greg Vandina
- Sunday September 30th, "Power to the People" program at NATIONAL MUSEUM of WOMEN in the ARTS - http://www.nmwa.org/filmfest/
- Tuesday, September 25 – 6:30pm – Oakland University, Clean Water Action
- Monday, September 24 – 6:30pm – Waterford Library, Clean Water Action
- Thursday, September 20 – 6:30pm – Royal Oak Senior Center (3500 Marais) - Clean Water Action (contact Lynna at (248) 336-3460)
- September- 14-16 (free) Athens, Greece : The Youth of Synaspismos is the youth organization of the political party of Synaspismos (www.syn.gr), a left party in Greece, which is represented in the national and the European parliament.Every year they organize a three-day festival in Athens with political and cultural activities. Last year almost 4.500 people visited the event.
- Coalition on Temporary Shelter, Detroit, July 9, 2007
- Allied Media Conference June 22-24conference
- From the Highland Park SneakPreview/Workshop Notes
- ECOFILMS - Rodos International Film & Visual Arts Festival, June 20, Greece
- Allied Media Conference in Detroit, Michigan June 23
- First Screening in Highland Park, Highland Park High School, May 2007
- From the Wiki Montreal meeting/ RoCoCoCamp at SAT CollaborativeMeeting Notes
