Two films are making a splash about watersheds on North Vancouver Island and in celebration of World Water Day they will screen March 26.
They'll be shown starting at 7 p.m. in the Stan Hagen Theatre at North Island College in Courtenay.
The premiere screening of Saving the Tsolum River (45 minutes) features the efforts of a small group of dedicated people in the Comox Valley who were determined to restore a river that was poisoned by an abandoned copper mine on Mount Washington.
In 1998, at a public meeting of the Tsolum River Task Force, it was agreed that a “dead” Tsolum was not acceptable and the long road to recovery for this once vital river began.
The film was shot over a three-year period by award-winning documentary filmmaker Edward Homer. Arriving in the Valley in 2007 and living close to the river, Homer was shocked by the state of the Tsolum.
His documentary covers a 30-year period of the recovery process. It’s a story of hope and dedication that celebrates the human spirit.
Troubled Water is Nanaimo filmmaker Paul Manly's 37-minute documentary that examines a variety of public drinking watersheds on Vancouver Island and some of the threats posed to them by industrial, commercial, agricultural and residential activity.
In addition to the threat of contamination and overuse of water, Maude Barlow also discusses the looming threat of privatization of water sources and infrastructure. The film includes examples of good management of public water sources.
Both filmmakers will join Jack Minard, co-ordinator of the Tsolum River Restoration Society, in a panel discussion after the films.
The evening is co-sponsored by World Community, Comox Valley Council of Canadians and North Island Students' Union. Admission is by donation.
For details, phone 250- 337-5412.
— World Community