Jim Thebaut's Film 'Beyond the Brink' - Coming on Earth Day 2018!

Several years ago I received a phone call from filmmaker and friend
Jim Thebaut, he of the Running Dry film franchise and one  of the founders of The Chronicles Group. I had not heard from Jim since I attended and spoke at his water meeting at the UN in New York in September 2011.

He told me of his latest project - looking at the California drought and the food resources of the San Joaquin Valley. Jim waxed enthusiastically about the project (as he is wont to do) and asked me if I could help him out. I told him that I would do what I could but that I did not have the time to devote to the project.

I had forgotten about that call and Jim's project until I met old friend Erik Webb of Sandia National Labs at the AWRA Conference last month. Erik and I sat down to a delightful three-hour dinner one night to catch up. He knows Jim well and had worked with him. I asked him about Jim's project I expected to hear that it a work in progress or had fallen by the wayside. That thought arose from the simple fact that I had not heard anything about the work. He told me that Jim had finished the film - Beyond the Brink - and that he not only had seen it, but also had a part in it. 

Here is a brief (30 seconds) trailer (here is the link if the video won't display):

 Here is a brief description of the film:

“Beyond the Brink” is the latest in The Chronicles Group’s series of documentaries dealing with public policy and national security issues. These include: “Running Dry” (2005), “The American Southwest: Are We Running Dry?” (2008) and “The Cold War and Beyond” (2003).  “Running Dry” was the foundation and genesis for the 2005 Senator Paul Simon Water for the Poor Act and 2014 Water for the World Act.

“’Beyond the Brink’ presents a possible future world that no longer supplies enough food or water to sustain its inhabitants and the inevitable impact that is having on National and International Security,’” stated Jim Thebaut, the film’s creator/director/producer. “

“Beyond the Brink” focuses on California’s San Joaquin Valley and the ever-increasing difficulties for farmers and the local produce industry due to draught and water scarcity. The San Joaquin Valley is representative of a global crisis due to dwindling sources of agriculture around the planet. As these agricultural “food baskets” become increasingly unable to produce for its dramatically growing population, the critical ramifications on the social fabric and our national security become obvious.

Like Thebaut’s previous two films, “Beyond the Brink” examines a multitude of solutions and technologies currently being formulated, invented and utilized in modern day agriculture.

Listen to Jim's podcast on 'Food, Water and National Security': click here.

The film's site says that the film will be shown at various venues in 2018 and to check back periodically. I will try to keep you informed. I definitely want to see it.
Note: Jim just called to say that it will be released globally on Earth Day, 22 April 2018.

Enjoy!

"All looks yellow to the jaundiced eye." - Alexander Pope

Comments

[Averill Strasser]

We love Jim and his work.

It's great to see this crucial issue again being raised to the forefront, so that more people will realize that the time to act is NOW!