Kaitlyn Schwalje & Alex Wolf Lewis | USA | 73 min
Co-presented by RahrBSG
In Partnership with Habitat for Humanity Guelph Wellington ReStore
*International Premiere*
EVENT: Staying Afloat
Feature Film Screening: As America’s aging wastewater systems begin to fail, one plant does all it can to stay afloat. Plant manager Dustin Price, together with his motley crew of unlikely heroes, battle aging infrastructure, forever chemicals, and the misconceptions of an odor averse public to keep Portland, Maine clean and healthy. Who doesn't love a buddy-comedy about wastewater (and environmental care)?
Wastewater plants across America are in need of resuscitation. And, just when it seems things couldn’t get any worse, a cancer causing-contaminant (PFAS) enters the scene and threatens to collapse the entire house of cards. In response, one plant must find clever solutions to an ever-growing mountain of problems. On a daily basis, this team of funny, close-knit, and inventive individuals laughs and struggles to keep this labyrinth of pipes and blinking panels up running. All so that we never really need to think about what happens to our poop. Clean water is the invisible foundation of everything. Who knew it could be so funny?
Post Film: Give it a swirl. Do you detect notes of minerals? Perhaps a little softener? Join us for a wine-style water tasting. And see if you can spot our local vintage.
DIRECTORS BIOS:
Kaitlyn Schwalje
Kaitlyn Schwalje is a science journalist and award-winning documentary director based in Portland, Maine. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Physics from Carnegie Mellon University and completed her postgraduate studies at the Copenhagen Institute of Interaction Design. Before pivoting to storytelling, Kaitlyn designed haptic prototypes for the research division of the Walt Disney Company. Her stories about her disaster obsessed father, tsunamis, how archeology saved the cat, and city squirrels appear on CBC, Atlas Obscura, WNYC, 99% Invisible, National Geographic, and others.
Alex Wolf Lewis
Alex Wolf Lewis is a director and cinematographer based in NYC and Portland, Maine. As a director, Alex’s credits include, Snowy (Sundance ‘21, Critics’ Choice Nominee, DOCNYC Shortlist, Vimeo Staff Pick, Time Studios), Single Room Occupancy (co-directed) (SIFF 2016, Big Sky ‘17, Short of The Week) and Hildegarde’s Piano (Rooftop Film Festival ‘19). As a cinematographer, he has traveled the world for work, shooting for Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown, Vice, Netflix, HBO, CNN, PBS, A&E, Discovery as well as a number of feature documentaries and shorts.
