Appealing the court order to give Chevron 600 hours worth of outtakes from Crude, the documentary about the oil field pollution that contaminated the Ecuadorian Amazon, is an expensive proposition for filmmaker Joe Berlinger. But relinquishing his First Amendment rights is an even greater cost to the filmmaker -- and for all of us!
Berlinger's legal battle has become a celebrated cause among filmmakers and journalists, many of whom have signed a petition protesting the court's decision.
You can help Berlinger by taking a stand on the issue. Endorse the petition and/or contribute to Berlinger's First Amendment defense fund. When you watch Crude on Netflix, you trigger a small payment to Berlinger, who is using the proceeds to pay his legal expenses. When you purchase Crude on DVD from First Run Features, 15 percent will be donated to Berlinger's defense.
You can also make a monetary pledge via Kickstarter, where a total of at least $20,000 in donations must be reached by June 30 for the money (less Kickstarter's 5 percent handling fee) to be handed over to Berlinger. Kickstarter lets you keep track of the number of donors and the current dollar amount pledged.
As of this writing, the Crude First Amendment Fund has 138 backers, but still needs at least another $8,000 to reach its goal. The minimum pledge is $1. Can you really afford to not contribute? Think about it. Then take action.
(PHOTO: Joe Berlinger. Credit Ali Pflaum, Courtesy Joe Berlinger.).
Comments
Perhaps before draping Mr. Beringer in the flag and the indignity of his loss of his 1st Ammendment rights you should ask the question if his goal to show the horrorific enviromental disaster that Chevron has done to Ecuador why would he fight the release of his out-takes? Don’t worry I will answer that for you. Because from the court transcripts and depositions I have read, I see a “independent” film maker colluding with one side to hide the fact that this is blackmail.
But I can understand Beringer’s horror of his out-takes being seen since he captures on film for the record attorney Donziger admitting this is a fake lawsuit drummed up to blackmail money from Chevron.
And when U.S. environmental consultants Charles Champ, Ann Maest, tell Donziger that there is no evidence of groundwater contamination, Donziger looks at the camera and says, “There’s another point I got to make . . . with these guys, but I can’t get this on camera,” Mr. Beringer turns off the camera and his journalistic integrity as well.
I hope all involved with this, including Mr. Beringer find their time in a Federal Prison somewhere enjoyable.
Never is pollution good. Industrialization can be messy or it can be almost clean, or in-between, but such is necessary to lift a people from grubbing in the earth. And then we have the liberal do-gooders. Grubbing for dollars…