Academy Docs Explore Environmental Effects Of Big Business

The Oscar®-nominated films “The Warriors of Qiugang” and “Gasland” will screen as the next installment in the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ 30th annual “Contemporary Documentaries” series on Wednesday, May 2, at 7 p.m. at the Linwood Dunn Theater in Hollywood. Admission to all screenings in the series is free.

Directed by Ruby Yang, who produced the film with Thomas Lennon, “The Warriors of Qiugang” follows the villagers of Qiugang, China, as they fight for a safer living environment when a chemical company begins to poison their air and water. The film earned a 2010 Academy Award® nomination for Documentary Short Subject.

When director Josh Fox was approached by a company requesting to drill for natural gas on his property, he began a disturbing investigation into the environmental repercussions of the process. “Gasland” documents evidence of serious pollution and contamination across the United States caused by drilling methods that have been exempted from the standards required by the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts. Fox produced the film with Trish Adlesic and Molly Gandour. “Gasland” earned a 2010 Academy Award nomination for Documentary Feature. Editor Matthew Sanchez will be present to take questions from the audience following the screening.

The 30th annual “Contemporary Documentaries” series continues through May 30, showcasing feature-length and short documentaries drawn from the 2010 Academy Award nominations, including the winners, as well as other important and innovative films considered by the Academy that year.

All films will screen at the Linwood Dunn Theater at the Academy’s Pickford Center for Motion Picture Study on Wednesdays at 7 p.m. Doors open at 6 p.m. Seating is unreserved. The filmmakers will be present at screenings whenever possible.

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The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is the world’s preeminent movie-related organization, with a membership of more than 6,000 of the most accomplished men and women working in cinema. In addition to the annual Academy Awards—in which the members vote to select the nominees and winners­—the Academy presents a diverse year-round slate of public programs, exhibitions and events; provides financial support to a wide range of other movie-related organizations and endeavors; acts as a neutral advocate in the advancement of motion picture technology; and, through its Margaret Herrick Library and Academy Film Archive, collects, preserves, restores and provides access to movies and items related to their history. Through these and other activities the Academy serves students, historians, the entertainment industry and people everywhere who love movies.

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