- Title: VARIOUS: New documentary Dirty Oil hopes to clean up oil industry
- Date: 16th March 2010
- Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (MARCH 12, 2010) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) DIRECTOR OF "DIRTY OIL" LESLIE IWERKS, SAYING: "There's been a big scare in the indigenous population. Certainly now for McKay, they won't drink the water, Fort Chippewa won't drink the water, they're really fighting back now and doing what they're doing to fight legislation and to fight the oil sands. So there's a backlash and it's not happy, not a happy situation for government or industry." CLOSE OF IWERKS' HANDS (SOUNDBITE) (English) DIRECTOR OF "DIRTY OIL" LESLIE IWERKS, SAYING: "There were times when we were threatened by oil sands workers saying 'get out of here', that kind of thing because obviously this is their livelihood and they don't see anything wrong with it. Whereas you look at the environmentalists and you look at people that are trying to protect the land and protect people's health, there's a big controversy and conflict between these two groups and you can feel it when you call people. When I called people on the phone, they would just hang up on me or not return the call. They don't want any bad press on them so they'd rather just ignore the situation."
- Embargoed: 31st March 2010 13:00
- Keywords:
- Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment / Showbiz,Energy
- Reuters ID: LVA98CCFBT3FUHW0HSTW9ZR0RP45
- Story Text: A new documentary film hopes to shed light on what environmentalists call "Dirty Oil", a method of oil production in Alberta, Canada which they say is damaging natural resources and threatening human lives.
Western Canada's tar sands provide the majority of oil to the United States, a fact the documentary says is unbeknownst to most Americans who believe most oil to the U.S. comes from the Middle East. The process by which to extract oil is taken from the tar sands, using vast quantities of water, energy and steam and emitting huge amounts of carbon dioxide.
Academy Award nominated director Leslie Iwerks described the conditions of filming in the area.
"What I did see was pretty much like a wasteland, a moonscape of what they've done to the environment, stripping huge acres of oil forest and now it's just toxic pond everywhere. And the smell is pretty bad, it smells like sour eggs. It's not a pleasant place to work but plenty of people make great money working up there and it's a way to make a living and it's a booming, booming business," she told Reuters Television.
Alberta's rich oil reserves makes it one of Canada's fastest growing provinces, where workers can make 2000 USD a week.
The oil industry has intensified efforts to minimize environmental impacts, clean up operations and support aboriginal communities with consultation and employment opportunities.
But Iwerks said not enough is being done and points to growing health concerns amongst local indigenous tribes, including rare forms of cancer.
"Certainly now for (the) McKay (tribe), they won't drink the water, Fort Chippewa won't drink the water, they're really fighting back now and doing what they're doing to fight legislation and to fight the oil sands. So there's a backlash and it's not happy, not a happy situation for government or industry," said Iwerks.
The director talked about her roadblocks in making the film, the majority of which came from oil workers themselves.
"There were times when we were threatened by oil sands workers saying 'get out of here', that kind of thing because obviously this is their livelihood and they don't see anything wrong with it. Whereas you look at the environmentalists and you look at people that are trying to protect the land and protect people's health, there's a big controversy and conflict between these two groups and you can feel it when you call people. When I called people on the phone, they would just hang up on me or not return the call. They don't want any bad press on them so they'd rather just ignore the situation."
The film has already been screened in some parts of the United States, including to classrooms and is being distributed by Dogwoof productions and the environentally-conscious British grocery chain The Co-op in the United Kingdom.
But what would companies implicated in the film including oil giant BP Amoco, who have a large investment in the Canadian tar sands, say in response to the accusations? Iwerks said she was ready for the challenge.
"Look if there's backlash, so be it. That's what great films do, they create controversy and this film does create controversy. It provides at the educational side to it, it looks at the environmental side to it, it looks at the financial side to it. Both sides have valid points. You know, there's money to be made in the oil sands. There's a need for it. However, what we're saying is do we really need to rely on this as our main focus of energy?"
Two U.S. companies - Whole Foods Market and Bed, Bath and Beyond - have recently declared a boycott of oil produced from the Alberta region, a move which Iwerks hopes other companies will follow.
"People can pick at them all they want but the reality is they're making a stand and the more companies that do make a stand, I mean, look at the Co-op, who's distributing this film, they've all come together to make a stand to say 'these are all important subjects that we're going to support, finance and release to audiences all over the country.' We're probably going to be seeing companies taking a larger role in environmental and political statements in the future because that seems to be the way to create consciousness or to create awareness to the masses."
"Dirty Oil" has its UK premiere on Monday (March 15) with a guest list including Neve Campbell, who provided the narration on the documentary. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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