Waterlife: A Review
David Maurer
Issue date: 3/1/10 Section: Entertainment
Kevin McMahon's Waterlife was one of the featured films in the recent Global Issues Film Festival here at Kettering University. McMahon immerses us in the story of the Earth's last great fresh water supply, the Great Lakes. His work shows how the Lakes' amazing beauty and ecological diversity are rapidly deteriorating, and how that change is adversely affecting the world. Visually, McMahon captures amazing images. According to Jay Cheel (whose comments are included in the press page at ourwaterlife.com), these are images that "inspire," and "Waterlife was probably the best experience I had at this year's Hot Docs festival." In the opinion of Gisèle Gordon, "McMahon manages to balance his information with engaging storytelling, never forgetting the most important ingredient: filmmaking."
From the headwaters of Lake Superior to the mouth of the St Lawrence River, this stunning film finely merges CG and cinematography to chronicle a 350-year-long voyage of water molecules, through rivers, wetlands, people, and industry. Along the way, the water "gathers enough misfortune to kill a whale."
Over 20% of the Earth's fresh water is contained in the Great Lakes, but some industrialized shores contain toxic sediments 25 feet deep. These toxins, with the introduction of invasive species, have led to an 80% decline in native fish populations. The St Laurence Belugas are the most contaminated mammals on the planet. Endocrine disrupters like PCB's, and estrogenic contaminants disrupt hormone systems in aquatic life. Similar to how an "outside influence can alter the gender of a fish," these toxins can lead to developmental defects, cancers, and miscarriages in humans too. In the Aamjiwnaang First Nation in Sarnia, Ontario, such chemicals may be the cause of a growing 2:1 ratio of girls to boys - sometimes 15:1 (Ada Lockridge, http://www.maryann colihan.com/?p=31).
In Saginaw Bay, Michigan, the picturesque coastline is home to Cladophora and Microcystis blooms, which retain waste and toxins. "For the few who still dare to enter these waters," there can be life long consequences. As a major cause for the blooms, research points to the invasion of zebra mussels, which elevate phosphorus levels and improve water clarity
From the headwaters of Lake Superior to the mouth of the St Lawrence River, this stunning film finely merges CG and cinematography to chronicle a 350-year-long voyage of water molecules, through rivers, wetlands, people, and industry. Along the way, the water "gathers enough misfortune to kill a whale."
Over 20% of the Earth's fresh water is contained in the Great Lakes, but some industrialized shores contain toxic sediments 25 feet deep. These toxins, with the introduction of invasive species, have led to an 80% decline in native fish populations. The St Laurence Belugas are the most contaminated mammals on the planet. Endocrine disrupters like PCB's, and estrogenic contaminants disrupt hormone systems in aquatic life. Similar to how an "outside influence can alter the gender of a fish," these toxins can lead to developmental defects, cancers, and miscarriages in humans too. In the Aamjiwnaang First Nation in Sarnia, Ontario, such chemicals may be the cause of a growing 2:1 ratio of girls to boys - sometimes 15:1 (Ada Lockridge, http://www.maryann colihan.com/?p=31).
In Saginaw Bay, Michigan, the picturesque coastline is home to Cladophora and Microcystis blooms, which retain waste and toxins. "For the few who still dare to enter these waters," there can be life long consequences. As a major cause for the blooms, research points to the invasion of zebra mussels, which elevate phosphorus levels and improve water clarity
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