Story
Inspired during one of the most polarized periods in the recent history of the United States, the “Something in the Water” documentary project was created in the spirit of keeping democracy alive by capturing the perspectives and experiences of a diverse group of citizens from across the nation.
Set against the backdrop of the 2020 Presidential election and in the midst of a global pandemic, the project team traveled more than 6,000 miles across America and interviewed sixty participants in twelve states, over eighteen days, acquiring more than thirty hours of filmed testimony.
When completed, "Something in the Water" will present an honest portrayal of a country struggling to understand and rationalize the ideologies that divide our nation. And, despite its uncertain future, the promise of the "American Dream," while redefined, is still alive and prospering, offering hopes to heal the wounds of a fractured country.
The Producers
The "Something in the Water" documentary is the third collaboration between filmmakers Jeri Wachter and Joseph C. Stillman.
Joseph C. Stillman is an award-winning filmmaker focused on human rights and social justice issues. He has spent forty-six years producing, directing, and writing motion pictures and documentary films during the course of his career. His recent works include the internationally acclaimed feature documentary "Citizen Clark... A Life of Principle," the life story of former U.S. Attorney General and Human Rights activist Ramsey Clark and"From Mills River to Babylon and Back... The Jimmy Massey Story." As an Emmy-winning, Oscar-nominated, and Best Documentary film director, Stillman's projects have been seen around the globe.
Jeri Wachter is a producer, public speaker, and activist, connecting communities and raising voices for social justice. Her recent work includes the "Rural Matters; Poverty in the Other America" a feature documentary and forums on the impact of socio-economic inequities on individuals, families and communities worldwide. Previously, she co-founded the Workplace Equity Project and William Andrew Publishing and has extensive experience in scientific publishing.
Why is this project important?
As we traveled across the country, it soon became apparent that people everywhere had legitimate concerns. The issues they spoke about; jobs, the election, the pandemic, the state of the country, were more than just passing topics. Homemakers to blue-collar workers, students, professionals, educators, and clergy, shared insightful and impassioned testimony that often revealed the serious nature of topics they confront daily. Why is this important and what can we do about it?
As one of our interviewees stated, "If we don't deal with some of these issues now, they may never be another moment in time to do this again as the window of opportunity is closing all around us." We couldn't agree more.
In the midst of the covid-19 pandemic, we exercised extreme precaution while on the road to not only protect the people we spoke with but ourselves as well. The individuals we encountered exhibited tremendous courage and we valued their perspectives. Their stories are a narrative of America's diversity.
The accounts we recorded were tales of compassion, conviction, cynicism, love, patriotism, and dignity. And despite these differences, the common denominator is that we are all Americans.
How will my contribution help this project?
As filmmakers, we believe that objective, independent documentaries play an important role in fostering dialogue around deeply complex social challenges such as economic inequities and human rights. This was a unique period in the history of America. Making a feature documentary film like "Something in the Water" is a complicated and costly investment of time and money. Post-production requirements such as color-correction of images, sound equalization costs, music, stock footage, and other acquisition rights, are still needed to complete our project. Monies raised through this crowd-funding request will be used to cover these expenses.
Why should I become involved?
Contributors like yourselves recognize when events foster change in our country. Those changes can sometimes lead to real historical movements, resulting in significant progress for a nation and its people. We hope you feel as strongly about justice, equality, and the common dignity of every person in our country as we do. Despite our differences, Americans across the board love this land. Be part of history by helping us to bring these important perspectives to light.
Sincerely,
Jeri Wachter & Joseph C. Stillman- Producers "Something in the Water"