The message behind Irena Salina's new film is simple and direct: Without water humans can't live.
"When you look at it, you realize your whole life depends on water," she said. "(If we don't act) it's going to be a loss. No water means no life."
The French filmmaker showed her documentary, "FLOW: For Love Of Water," last night at Brandeis University. It is Salina's second full-length documentary.
"I got a call from the president's office. President (Jehuda) Reinharz said you must get this film," history professor Alice Kelikian said last night before introducing Salina. "I did what I was told and went through a very athletic e-mail process to get it."
Filmed in 12 countries, "FLOW" premiered in the documentary competition at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival. Since then the film has picked up several awards at the 2008 Mumbai Film Festival, the Vail International Film Festival and the Flagstaff Film Festival.
The film explores the urgency to conserve and protect water and also exposes international corporations that control its flow to different parts of the world.
"FLOW" also claims Earth's water supply is drying up and explains how that is causing people in some areas of the world to fight for water.
"We've been traveling with the film for over a month now," Salina said before showing the film to a small group of students and teachers. "We are going to begin to distribute it in the next few months."
Salina said she was inspired to make the film after reading an article in 2002 about depleting water resources in The Nation magazine.
"We are taking water from the Earth faster than we can replenish it," Salina said. "Basically, we are in a time where we can no longer take water for granted. We're going to have to look at every drop."
Last night Salina was accompanied by one of the voices of the film, Shri Rajendra Singh. He's an Indian leader in rainwater harvesting and water conservation.
Salina said Singh is famous in India and is known as "the waterman of India." He's been involved in the most drought-prone area of India for almost 30 years.
"I'm working in the desert of my country (Rajasthan) in India. It has the lowest rainfall in the world," Singh said. "I think this film can play the role of linking the minds of civil societies with water to make people aware and to join their hands (in a common goal)."
Singh has received numerous awards for humanitarian efforts. In 2001 he was presented with one of India's most prestigious awards, the Magsaysay Award for Community Leadership.
Born in France in 1968, Salina started her career as a radio journalist in Paris at the age of 15. She worked different jobs before creating her first short film, "See You on Monday." She created her first award-winning feature film, "Ghost Bird: The Life and Art of Judith Deim" in 2000.
For more information visit http://flowthefilm.com
Jeff Gilbride can be reached at 781-398-8005 or at jgilbrid@cnc.com.
