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A Must-See Sundance Movie About Alternative Fuels
Last night, Sundance winner for Best Documentary “FUEL”, a film about... well, could you guess?... fuel... premiered at the ConserveFuel in Brentwood. The film is the culmination of the eleven year journey, by director Josh Tickell, educating the public about biodiesel and other fuel related topics.
That is not just a film about, well, fuel. And, before you think it, it is not a film that just bashes George Bush and his administration. Although, it should be said that there is extremely relevant information regarding the ties of that administration to oil, to the events of 9/11 and the events surrounding Katrina. This is also not a film that scares you into such fear about global warming and climate change that you actually get frozen into doing nothing. This is a film about what is getting done to change our dependence on fuel, foreign or domestic, because the fact is, either one is non-sustainable.
In order to get to the heart of what is getting done to change the biodiesel industry, there obviously has to be a discussion of what brought us to this point. The history of the diesel engine and the man, Dr. Rudolph Diesel, is explained, as well as, Josh’s history that lead to his passion of alternative fuels. There is also time spent on the depth of our addiction; from food, clothing, economy, subsidies, politics, global trade. There is a clear explanation of the different kinds of energy we have available to us (fossil fuel and the two types of biodiesel (corn ethanol and soy based)) and how each impact the environment. All in all, as many people commented after the film, there wasn’t anything not covered by this documentary.
But that is not to say that it was dense, boring, or incomprehensible. It was put together in a way that was shocking and nothing we didn’t already know, funny and sad, interesting and informative. In fact, we learned something new about how deep the oil industry will go to ensure its prosperity. One example, Prohibition.
Many of is believe that Prohibition was rooted in the desire to limit the abuse of alcohol, believing that while “alcohol is a gift from God, its abuse is from the Devil.” But here is a fact that maybe many of you don’t know. When Ford created his car, it used an engine that ran on ethanol. When Standard oil founder, John D. Rockefeller, realized what kind of impact the auto would have on his industry, he lobbied and funded the 18th Amendment to be passed. Why? Because if you can’t have distilleries, you can’t make ethanol for your car. Interestingly, Ford continued to produce ethanol engineered cars, in the hopes that the 18th Amendment would be repealed, however when too much time passed he gave up. Less than a year later, the amendment was reversed.
This is one interesting fact that came from this movie, but there were many more.
Naturally, if you have one iota of a care for the environment, our foreign policy, our economy, or global relations, then this is a movie you would like to see. It is filled with the gamut of eco-friendly celebrities (Larry David, Sheryl Crow, Woody Harrelson), but scientists, politicians and journalists get more air time, which is always a breath of fresh air.
The only downsides to this film: first, as it is with small independent films it is only playing in two locations when it opens up this weekend. The second, if you bought a new car recently (like we did) it will bum you out that had you known this information, you would have bought a different kind of car. Speaking of... anyone interested in a 2007 VE Jetta?
FUEL
Opens Friday the 13th
Santa Monica: AMC Loews
Los Angeles: Laemmle’s Sunset 5
** Josh Tickell will be available at some screenings, so check out their website.