NEWS RELEASE
February 18, 2010
Contact: Laurie Caplan, 503-338-6508; Lori Durheim, 503-325-1556
COLUMBIA RIVER AND FAMILIAR FACES STAR IN FREE FILM SCREENINGS
The public is invited to “Roll On, Columbia,” an afternoon of free short films starring the magnificent Columbia River, on Saturday, March 13. The films are “Work Is Our Joy,” “Crossroads on the Columbia ... Oregon Confronts America's Energy Future,” “In Their Footsteps,” and “Pipe Dream.” The first three films were written and produced in Clatsop County and feature many familiar faces, including local fishermen, business people, students, and others. The movies begin at 2 p.m. at the appropriately named Columbian Theater at 1102 Marine Drive in Astoria. Doors will open at 1:30 p.m.
“These inspiring documentaries about the mighty Columbia River deserve to be seen in a movie theater. We’re delighted to present these remarkable and moving stories about the people, places, and traditions that make our estuary worth protecting.” said Laurie Caplan, one of the event’s organizers. “Roll On, Columbia” is sponsored by Columbia Pacific Common Sense, a local grassroots group working to stop the proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminals and pipelines at Bradwood and on the Skipanon in Warrenton.
“Work Is Our Joy,” is a fascinating 30-minute history of drift gillnetting on the Columbia River. Numerous interviews with local fisherman create a personal history of generations of fishermen, the canneries, and the river. The documentary is a tale of courage and tradition, told through great stories, compelling images, and personal reminiscences.
“Work Is Our Joy” features well-known fishermen from this area, including Bill Gunderson, Eldon Korpela, Ross Lindstrom, Andrew Marincovich, Jack Marincovich, Cecil Moberg, and Bill Puustinen. The documentary was written by Irene Martin, who has been writing about the Columbia River fishery for more than three decades. Jim Bergeron was the project director. The film was made in 1989 as a project of Oregon State University Extension Sea Grant and the Columbia River Maritime Museum, Astoria.
“Crossroads on the Columbia ... Oregon Confronts America's Energy Future” is a 20-minute documentary featuring breathtaking bird’s-eye views of the Columbia River, including Bradwood and the Skipanon Peninsula in Warrenton. The film chronicles grassroots determination to save the Columbia River and its estuary from the controversial LNG projects. Area residents shown in “Crossroads” include Albert Smith, Dirk Rohne, Cheryl Johnson, Don West, Donna Quinn, George Exum of Puget Island, and Dave Densmore, of Astoria and Kodiak, Alaska.
Following its official premiere a year ago in Astoria, “Crossroads” was selected as the Best Environmental Short Documentary Film in the Santa Cruz Film Festival and toured the US as part of the Patagonia Wild & Scenic Film Festival throughout 2009. It has been shown at other regional and national film festivals.
“In Their Footsteps” opens with dramatic shots of the Columbia River and provides a fast-paced history of the riches of the estuary and its people. It includes scenes of horse seining, Fort Clatsop, the 1922 Astoria fire, the canneries, and more. The film has been shown at the Columbia River Maritime Museum and at local elementary schools, but this is probably its first theater screening, according to producer Scott Holmstedt.
Students at Astoria High School wrote and produced this 20-minute film in 1999. At that time, Holmsted was a teacher and technical staff person with the Astoria School District. The student filmmakers were Amor Estandian, Faith Harris, Chris Holmstedt, Ryan Holmstedt, Sasha Rappaport, Jenny Stanton, Kirk Wintermute, and Willis Van Dusen, Jr.
“The project was not only a great technology lesson for our students but also a chance for them to experience local history in a new and unique way. They all walked away with a new appreciation for the area and learned more than if they had read the history in a textbook,” said Holmstedt. “In Their Footsteps” was made in cooperation with the Columbia River Maritime Museum and the Clatsop County Historical Society.
“Pipe Dream” focuses on the pipelines proposed to go from the proposed LNG terminals through Oregon to connect to existing pipelines to California. The eight-minute film includes interviews with LNG advocates and with farmers, ranchers, vintners, and others who oppose the proposed LNG terminals and pipelines.
Special guests at “Roll On, Columbia” include Olivia Schmidt, of Columbia Riverkeeper, and Donna Quinn, who wrote and produced “Crossroads” with Eugene filmmaker, Spence Palermo. A scale model of the proposed Oregon LNG terminal will be displayed at the theater that afternoon. For more information about the event, contact Caplan at 503-338-6508.