Klamath River American Indians Story Featured in "River of Renewal"

Native News Network Staff in Entertainment. Discussion »

DENVER - The International Institute for Indigenous Resource Management will screen "River of Renewal" on Thursday, September 29 at 7:00 pm mdt. The film screening is free and open to the public.

Filmmaker Jack Kohl will be joining the screening via Skype of Questions & Answers after showing of the film.

This documentary brings to the screen the heated dispute over water rights among three communities on the Klamath River with competing interests: commercial fishermen, farmers and the American Indian tribes. Producer Jack Kohler started the film as a documentary of the 1978 Salmon War, but during the filming an event occurred at the headwaters that renewed old conflicts.

In 2002, bypassing a court order designed to protect endangered fish in the Klamath, the Bush Administration ordered an unlimited release of water to farmers. As a result, 80,000 spawning salmon died, leading to the collapse of the salmon fishery. The polarized communities eventually realize that the only way to preserve the river and all their livelihoods is to join forces and demand removal of four dams on the Klamath.

"River of Renewal" was originally released in 2009 and runs 55 minutes.

WHAT:     "River of Renewal" film screening

WHERE:     Denver Botanic Gardens, Gates Hall
1007 York Street
Denver, Colorado

WHEN:     Thursday, September 29

TIME:     Doors open at 6:30 pm
Program 7:00 - 8:45 pm

posted September 26, 2011 6:00 am edt