Watermark

Documentarian Jennifer Baichwal and Canadian photographer Edward Burtynsky previously collaborated on Manufactured Landscapes (VL-11/07), a brilliant visual essay focusing on enormous factories, villages destroyed to make way for reservoirs, and fields of discarded ships and computers, all to illustrate the effect of modern industrialization on the land. Now they turn their attention to another modern dilemma, depicting in incredibly rich and detailed sequences—shot with ultra-high-definition digital video cameras—how our use of the earth's water has altered the natural order of things. From spectacular shots of waves billowing through huge dams, to views of irrigation circles from high overhead, to scenes of what were once flowing rivers that have now turned into arid trenches, and lakes transformed into empty basins, Watermark shows the unmistakable, and perhaps irreversible, handprint that mankind is leaving on the environment. While the filmmakers eschew narration, viewers will hear occasional observations from affected local residents—such as a worker in Bangladesh who matter-of-factly notes that industrial waste from his factory pours directly into a nearby stream—as well as comments from scientific investigators, who incisively bring home the documentary's main point. Watermark dramatically and effectively calls attention to the pressing need for conservation efforts, not through verbal polemic but rather with beautifully crafted, unforgettable images. DVD extras include a “making-of” featurette, deleted scenes, a Q&A with the co-directors, and a photo gallery. Highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (F. Swietek)