DamNation – Coming soon to a river – er – theatre near you!

The first great film on American dam removals!

2014 Awards (as of May 1):

— SXSW Film Festival: “Audience Award for Best Documentary”
— DC Environmental Film Festival: “Documentary Award for Environmental Advocacy”
— 5Point Film Festival: “Best of Festival”
— Environmental Film Festival at Yale: “Best Film” and “Audience Award”
— International Wildlife Film Festival: “Conservation Award”
— Mountainfilm in Telluride: “Audience Choice Award”

This powerful film odyssey across America explores the sea change in national attitudes from pride in big dams as engineering wonders to the growing awareness that our own future is bound to the life and health of our rivers. Dam removal has moved beyond the fictional Monkey Wrench Gang to go mainstream. Where obsolete dams come down, rivers bound back to life, giving salmon and other wild fish the right of return to primeval spawning grounds. DamNation’s majestic cinematography and unexpected discoveries move through rivers and landscapes altered by dams, but also through a metamorphosis in values, from conquest of the natural world to knowing ourselves as part of nature.

DamNation shows how far and fast things have moved, from the assumption 50 years ago that dams were always a power for good, to the first successful attempt to remove a marginal dam 20 years ago on the Kennebec River. The film highlights other dam removal stories, including the Elwha and White Salmon Rivers in Washington, the Rogue River in Oregon, and the Penobscot River in Maine.

Across the country, diverse interests are coming together to remove obsolete dams and find more cost-effective ways to meet power, shipping, irrigation and other needs, while restoring rivers, preserving tribal customs, recovering fish stocks, revitalizing waterfronts, improving recreational opportunities and rendering watersheds more resilient to climate change.

DamNation also explores the circumstances and people of the lower Snake River in eastern Washington State: its four costly dams, their impacts on the Nez Perce Tribe, a waterway in steep decline, and how dam removal will restore a river and its endangered salmon, protect taxpayers, and create opportunities and investments for the local economy and nearby communities.

Dam owners, impacted communities, and politicians are increasingly reevaluating the usefulness of certain dams and often advocating for decommissioning and removal. Some call it a movement, others call it a generational shift in values. DamNation documents both – and the undeniable momentum behind river restoration taking hold in our country.

TAKE ACTION: Tell President Obama its high-time we had an honest cost/benefit analysis for the four lower Snake River dams.

VISIT the DamNation website.

VIEW a schedule of film screenings and events.

SOS’ Northwest DamNation film tour is brought to you with the partnership and/or sponsorship of the following organizations, businesses, and foundations. We are deeply grateful for their support.

Reception beginning at 6 pm. Film screens at 7 pm with panel discussion afterward.

Tickets for the film are available here: http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/688021

OR buy tickets to both events at Sports Townsend, 1044 Water St, Port Townsend, WA 98368
(360) 379-9711

Sponsored by Save Our Wild Salmon, American Rivers, American Whitewater, Sierra Club, Sport Townsend, Waterbrook Wines, Fremont Brewing, Siren’s Pub National Parks & Conservation Association and Port Townsend Food Co-op.

Don’t miss this award-winning film capturing the growing national movement to remove dams to restore rivers, fisheries and communities. Featuring the Elwha and Condit dam removals as well as the growing call to remove the four lower Snake River dams in eastern Washington.

More info on this film at: http://www.wildsalmon.org/projects/damnation-film-tour/
http://damnationfilm.com/