A Must See: For Love of Water (FLOW)

A new documentary entitled “FLOW” (For Love of Water) has recently gained critical acclaim at the Vail International Film Festival and the Flagstaff International Film Festival, and is now gaining traction within the United States. The film has been called “infuriating and incredible” for its evocative approach to the global water crisis:

FLOW: For Love Of Water, a new film by Irena Salina, highlights the local intimacies of an emerging global catastrophe: African plumbers reconnect shantytown water pipes under cover of darkness to ensure a community’s survival; a Californian scientist forces awareness of shockingly toxic public water sources; a ‘Big Water’ CEO argues privatization is the wave of the future; a “Water Guru” in India sparks new community water initiatives in hundreds of villages; a Canadian author uncovers the corporate profiteering that drives global water business.

With an unflinching focus on politics, pollution and human rights, FLOW: For Love of Water ensures that the precarious relationship between humanity and water can no longer be ignored. While specifics of locality and issue may differ, the message is the same; water, and our future as a species, is quickly drying up. Armed with a thirst for survival, people around the world are fighting for their birthright; unless we instigate change, we face a world in which only those that can pay for their water will survive. FLOW: For Love of Water, is a catalyst for people everywhere: the time has come to turn the tide and we can’t wait any longer.

Highlighted in the film are three notable Indian personalities: 1) Dr. Ashok Gadgil, who “invented an affordable, effective and robust water disinfector” which is now in use by 500,000 rural Indians for 2/10 of a US cent per liter; 2) Shri Rajendra Singh, a much-honored Indian leader in rainwater harvesting and water conservation; and 3) Vandana Shiva, a physicist, ecologist, prominent environmental activist, editor and author. For more detailed biographies, go here.

Included here are a few clips for your viewing pleasure – enjoy!

Source: Sonal Singhal, Indicorps Fellow 2006