Local Limelight: Weeklyish Articles Of Interest

Fuel: Movie Review and Interview
By Jonathan Davis 12/08/08

Fuel is a film that ignites conversations about America’s energy future, a future that looks bright green!

Fuel is an educational documentary about alternative energy sources to gain independence from foreign countries, eliminating/reducing the power of big business in government, and educating the public about how America and the world has the technology to start making these changes now!

More importantly, Fuel Film drills down into our gut and extracts the emotional fuel that is needed to drive each of us together as Americans 1st, rational forward thinkers 2nd, and environmentalist 3rd to rise up and join together to express to policy makers the importance of biofuels.

The premier of Fuel was here in Portland on November 15th.  This is a testament to Portlanders and to the city for being the greenest city in America.  Both Josh Tickell, the filmmaker and his fiancé, Rebecca Harrell and crew were here in Portland for their first of many showings across the country to promote their film.  They chose to open here in Portland because of the “huge green community in Portland,” says Harrell.

Josh Tickell is a pioneer in the biofuel movement in America.  He put out a short film called The Veggie Van Voyage, which has a hit on the short film circuit.  Harrell said, “Josh doesn’t consider himself to be a filmmaker, but he learned that a movie impacts people considerably.”  So, to spread the message and to generate more conversation, Fuel was created.

Fuel has many great interviews from a variety of people from celebrities like Willie Nelson, Neil Young, and Woody Harrelson to executives in corporations and professors leading the change to biofuels.  One professor in particular, Dickson Despommier has a boisterous personality and injects levity in the documentary when he speaks on the future of a sustainable urban life and integrating agriculture into cities through multi-story indoor farming facilities known as The Vertical Farm Project.

Fuel is shortlisted for the Academy Awards and is the only environmentally focused documentary on that list.  Getting the name out and spreading the word has, “been a grassroots effort and a family affair,” says Harrell.  

Unfortunately, I don’t believe Fuel is still playing in Portland, but you can watch the trailer, read their blog, and most importantly, tell others you know in Austin, Bend, Seattle, Eugene, and San Antonio to go see it!



Photos from thefuelfilm.com