SXSW Film Preview: Greenlit

In this documentary-about-filmmaking, a cast and crew is tested when they try to “go green” during the production of their movie The River Why. Apparently good intentions and the hiring of an environmental consultant don’t guarantee success, and the well-meaning subjects of this doc soon find themselves caught up in an ethical and logistical quagmire illustrating the conflict between ideals and reality.

Directed by Miranda Bailey (who served as executive producer of Noah Baumbach’s The Squid and The Whale), Greenlit appears in the Documentary Feature category at this year’s SXSW film festival. Bailey decided to take on the project out of curiosity and due to her own environmental consciousness, and what results are a few surprises, a few frustrations, and a contentious battle between water bottle users and those who malign them.

The film being observed, The River Why, stars William Hurt and Zach Gilford (Friday Night Lights), and even though it’s not exactly a big-budget affair, it paints a clear picture about the environmental damages caused by filmmaking as well as the financial costs required to behave more responsibly.

This behind the scenes look at the movie industry is sure to be an eye-opening experience for the film-loving community. Many of us buy organic, recycle and avoid unnecessary driving, yet have no problem shelling out cash to see the latest multiplex offerings - thereby supporting one of the most wasteful industries around. And think about it, if even indie flicks create a huge amount of waste, what about the blockbusters? There’s some hypocrisy there that shouldn’t be ignored, and Greenlit is here to educate (and hopefully inspire some change).

Greenlit premieres on Saturday, March 13 at 4:45 at the Alamo Drafthouse on South Lamar. If you miss this showing, it plays again on Friday, March 19 at the same theater. Check out the full SXSW film schedule here.