______________________________________________
Green
Green Water Film Description
Green Green Water follows American filmmaker
Dawn Mikkelson as she traces the source of her
'green energy' back to the displacement of the
indigenous Cree and Metis in Northern Manitoba.
Whitewashed under auspices of renewable energy,
power suppliers Xcel Energy and Manitoba Hydro
provide cheap hydro-electric power to Minnesota -
energy that comes at the price of mass flooding,
destroyed land and devastated communities, a far cry
from the 'clean and green' tranquility of the energy
company's posters. Dating back to pressured
agreements signed in the 1970s, the hydro-electric
dams harshly disrupted the sustainable practices of
indigenous life. Now, as a new set of dams are being
proposed, the communities stand at the crossroads,
divided. Some advocate partnership in the
development of new projects, hoping to spark the
economy and a new way of life; others continue to
resist government pressure, choosing to maintain the
integrity of indigenous tradition. A cautionary tale
of consumer consciousness, Green Green Water
exposes the important story of displacement,
resistance and insidious public relations that lie
beyond the energy grid.