Coming to Colorado Mountain College in Breckenridge on April 26 is the local premiere of a new documentary, “Fracking the System.”
Krystal 93 met with the filmmaker, Brian Hedden, to learn why fracking runs deeper than the Front Range.
Krystal 93: Catchy name. What is “Fracking the System”?
Brian Hedden: “Fracking the System” is a political thriller based in the Front Range of Colorado about the citizens who are fighting fracking that is creeping up next to their homes and schools.
K93: You call it a political thriller. That makes me think of 007 or Jason Bourne. How is your film relevant to viewers in Breckenridge, many miles away from the Front Range?
BH: So many people in Colorado love the environment. They love the mountains and the air, and to varying degrees, we’re aware of how much pollution there is. But by and large, we’re unaware of the water we swim in. The things that we reveal in this documentary? People have never seen before. So I think it’s not just about fracking. It’s about our political system and the way that the oil and gas is manipulating the democratic process.
K93: Talk about the main characters in your film. You don’t talk directly with many politicians. But you do hear from scores of activists.
BH: More than an issue film, it’s really about the people and the activists that have been fighting this for so many years. I get very emotional thinking about it because they’re dedicating their lives, and they’re bringing their children (to government meetings). They’re just spending so much of their energy to fight for all of us, and not even for their own personal benefit. It’s for the environment, for their community, and future generations.
“Fracking the System” is showing at CMC Breckenridge Friday, April 26th, hosted by the Headwaters Group of Colorado Sierra Club. The screening is free with pre-registration.