The slick corridors of power in Washington DC are a far cry from the red rock canyons, vistas, and forested peaks outside Canyonlands National Park that Justin Clifton has spent much of the past year exploring. But the Flagstaff-based director and filmmaker will soon find himself in the city for the world premiere of his new documentary, Our Canyon Lands, at the Environmental Film Festival in the Nation's Capital on March 26, 2015.
Clifton and a team of artists, photographers, and filmmakers have logged hundreds of hours and thousands of miles traversing 1.9 million acres of southeastern Utah surrounding Canyonlands National Park, a vast roadless area, and one of the last truly wild places in the lower 48, now threatened by fracking and other destructive industrialization. The result is a passionate case for protecting the region, beloved by hikers and adventurers, and of vital cultural and spiritual importance to Native American tribes.
The region holds only about 17 days’ worth of oil at today’s consumption rates, yet it’s home to tens of thousands of cultural sites, including Ice Age hunting camps and cliff dwellings, prehistoric villages and rock art panels. Its cultural, environmental, geologic and scientific values are unmatched in the United States.
“Canyonlands is a part of my history, my family’s history, my community’s history, my tribe’s history and the history of all the native peoples in this region. But it’s also part of the history of the peoples of the United States and the world; it is part of the human experience. It belongs to all of us…Everyone should take some responsibility of protecting [it].”
-Jim Enote, Zuni Tribal Member
“Greater Canyonlands embodies the best of the American West, yet it’s under constant pressure by industry, threatening the fragile balance at the heart of the Colorado River watershed. 40 million people rely on the river for drinking water and food. If it suffers, so do we,” says Clifton.
A panel discussion following the screening will include Clifton, Zuni tribal member Jim Enote, Executive Director of the A:shiwi A:wan Museum and Heritage Center, and Jessica Wahl, Recreation Policy Manager for the Outdoor Industry Association.
Tickets are limited.
Learn more about the Our Canyon Lands Film Project.
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