Power of the People

Synopsis

Alannah Acaq Hurley, a Yup’ik leader, helped lead the fight against the proposed Pebble Mine project in Alaska’s Bristol Bay. A broad coalition bringing together different groups succeeded in securing a historic veto of the copper mine by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The decision protected Bristol Bay and its vast watershed, including nearly ten million hectares of pristine land, rivers, and wetlands, from the destruction that North America’s largest open-pit mine would have caused. The region is also home to the world’s largest wild salmon migration.

Parrinello’s short documentary shows the power of a grassroots movement standing up to a large-scale mining project.

Director Biography

Will Parrinello

Director who has been making award-winning documentaries for 40 years. A short film he made for the 89th Academy Awards was seen by 86 million people in 250 countries, while one of his documentary series received multiple Emmy Awards. His film Water for Life (2023) received the Jury Honorable Mention Award in the 2024 BIFED Main Competition. He has also worked as a co-producer on various international productions, and one of the feature documentaries he shot as director of photography was nominated for an Academy Award. His career brings together documentary directing, producing, and cinematography.

Credits

Camera / Kamera

Andrew Black

Editing / Kurgu

Quinn Costello

Music / Müzik

APM Music

Sound / Ses

David Wendlinger, Todd Miró

Production / Yapım

Will Parrinello, Goldman Environmental Prize