- Crude (2009 film)
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Crude 
Film stillDirected by Joe Berlinger Produced by Joe Berlinger
Michael Bonfiglio
J.R. DeLeon
Richard StrattonMusic by Wendy Blackstone Cinematography Pocho Alvarez
Joe Berlinger
Michael Bonfiglio
Juan Diego PérezEditing by Alyse Ardell Spiegel Distributed by Entendre Films
Radical Media
Red Envelope Entertainment
Third Eye Motion Picture
First Run FeaturesRelease date(s) January 18, 2009 (Sundance) Running time 100 minutes Country United States Language English Crude is a 2009 American documentary film directed and produced by Joe Berlinger.[1] It follows a two year portion of an ongoing class action lawsuit against the Chevron Corporation in Ecuador.
Contents
Synopsis
The film follows the progress during 2006 and 2007 of a $27 billion legal case brought against the Chevron Corporation following the drilling of the Lago Agrio oil field, a case also known as the “Amazon Chernobyl”.
The plaintiffs of the class action lawsuit are 30,000 Ecuadorians living in the Amazonian rainforest they claim has been polluted by the oil industry. In addition to the legal struggle, Crude shows interviews from both sides, and explores the influence of media support, celebrity activism, the power of multinational corporations, the shifting power in Ecuadorian politics, and rapidly-disappearing indigenous cultures on the case.
The film concludes with the prediction that the legal case will not be resolved for another decade or so.
Interviews
- Juan Diego Perez
- Pocho Alvarez
- Joe Berlinger (producer of Crude)
- Michael Bonfiglio
- Sting (activist, artist and co-founder of Rainforest Foundation Fund)
- Trudie Styler (activist, producer, and co-founder of Rainforest Foundation Fund with her husband Sting)
- Adolfo Callejas (Ecuadorian lawyer on behalf of Chevron-Texaco)
- Steve Donziger (American lawyer on behalf of the plaintiffs)
- Pablo Fajardo (Ecuadorian lawyer on behalf of the plaintiffs)
- Diego Larrea (Ecuadorian Lawyer on behalf of Chevron-Texaco)
- Rafael Correa (President of the Republic of Ecuador)
- Sara McMillen (Chief Environmental Scientist for Chevron)
- Ricardo Reis Veiga (Corporate counsel for Chevron Latin America)
Subpoena of footage
On May 6, 2010 federal judge Lewis Kaplan sided with a petition submitted by Chevron and ruled that Berlinger turn over more than 600 hours of original footage created throughout during the film's production. Chevron had sought to subpoena the footage as part of the ongoing lawsuit discussed in the film. Berlinger's legal team has maintained that the footage is protected by reporters' privilege and has indicated it intends to appeal the court's decision.[2]
Reception
Critical response
Crude has been reviewed in the New York Times,[3] in LA Weekly,[4] AlterNet,[5] and by Howard Zinn.[6]
As of 23 March 2010, the movie review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes gave Crude a 95% "fresh" rating (100% for "top critics").
Accolades
Winner[7]
- National Board of Review: Best Documentaries of the Year, 2009.
- One World Media Awards: Best International Documentary, Joe Berlinger, 2009.
- Independent Film Festival of Boston: Grand Jury Prize, Documentary, Joe Berlinger, 2009.
- Yale Environmental Film Festival: Grand Jury Prize, Documentary, Joe Berlinger, 2009.
- Thessaloniki Documentary Film Festival: World Wildlife Fund Documentary Award, Joe Berlinger, 2009.
- AFI Dallas International Film Festival: Current Energy Filmmaker Award, Joe Berlinger, 2009.
- Big Sky Documentary Film Festival: Best Editing, Programmer's Choice, Joe Berlinger,[8] 2009.
- Nashville Film Festival: Human Spirit Award, Joe Berlinger, 2009.
- 27e Festival International du Film d’Environnement: Grand Prize, 2009.
- Santa Cruz Film Festival: EarthVision Environmental Film Award, 2009.
- Reel Earth Film Festival New Zealand: Reel Earth Award, International Features, 2009.
- Mexico International Film Festival: Best Documentary Film, 2009.
- Docúpolis International Documentary Film Festival: OFF Docúpolis Award, 2009.
- Traverse City Film Festival: Special Jury Prize for Environmental Documentary, 2009.
- Puerto Vallarta Film Festival: Elizabeth Taylor Humanitarian Award, 2009.
- Whitaker St. Louis International Film Festival: Lifetime Achievement Award in Documentary, 2009.
- Red Nation Film Festival: Brando Award, 2009.
- Jacksonville Film Festival: Shining Light Award, 2009.
- Amazonas Film Festival: Audience Award, Documentary, 2009.
- Cinema for Peace: International Green Film Award, 2010.
Release
Crude premiered on January 18, 2009 at the Sundance Film Festival and had its theatrical premiere on September 9, 2009, at the IFC Center in New York City.[9] Many more cities and dates are scheduled as well.[10]
Film festivals (partial list)
- Sundance Film Festival, United States
- San Francisco International Film Festival, United States
- SILVERDOCS: AFI/Discovery Channel Documentary Festival, United States
- Sydney Film Festival, Australia
- One World Film Festival, Czech Republic
- Thessaloniki Documentary Festival, Greece
- Independent Film Festival of Boston, United States
- Cleveland International Film Festival, United States
- True/False Film Festival, United States
- Nashville Film Festival, United States
- Newport Beach Film Festival, United States
- Little Rock Film Festival, United States
- Jacksonville Film Festival, United States
- Sarasota Film Festival, United States
- Lake Placid Film Festival, United States
- Sidewalk Moving Picture Festival, United States
See also
- Amazonia for Sale
- The Coconut Revolution
References
- ^ Crude at the Internet Movie Database
- ^ New York Times, 6 May 2010, Judge Rules that Filmmaker Must Give Footage to Chevron
- ^ New York Times, 22 January 2009, In the Snows of Sundance, a Marked Chill in the Air
- ^ http://blogs.laweekly.com/ladaily/foundas-on-film/sundance-film-festival-2009-cr/
- ^ AlterNet, 26 August 2009, 'Crude': The Film Chevron Doesn't Want You to See
- ^ http://www.crudethemovie.com/
- ^ Complete list of awards
- ^ Edited by Alyse Ardell Spiegel
- ^ http://www.ifccenter.com/films/crude/
- ^ [1]
External links
- Official website
- Crude at the Internet Movie Database
- Joe Berlinger interview at Sundance Channel
- Crude court order video report at Democracy Now!
Categories:- 2009 films
- American films
- English-language films
- American documentary films
- Documentary films about environmental issues
- Documentary films about indigenous rights
- Spanish-language films
- 2000s documentary films
- Documentary films about petroleum
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