Shari Due and Mona Masser are the founders of Be Reel Parthena, a Film and Video Production company in Fort Collins, CO. They just launched a Community Funded Campaign for “Watering the West: The Story of the Cache la Poudre River.” This project is in pre-production but needs financial backing to become a reality. Be Reel have set a 30-day campaign to raise $63,000 to fund the documentary. They are hoping to get the local community behind this project and expand their production team.
There is a significant war on water rights in Colorado, and this film aims to show who is battling.
According to Be Reel,
“Municipalities, oil companies, beer brewers, and recreational interests compete to buy farms with water rights and convert those rights to new uses in water court. This keeps Colorado’s numerous water lawyers in business. “It’s not the farmer that can afford to buy water in this state anymore,” says Brian Werner, Northern Water Conservancy District. Some say Colorado’s 150-year-old system of allocating water by seniority is outdated as every drop of precipitation is owned by someone, resulting in bidding wars.”
The Itemized Budget is below. The objective is not to make millions of dollars but to shed light on a pressing concern within the state of Colorado.
Be Reel Productions has one documentary under their belt, Desplazado, a gentrification film. It took two years to make and includes an animated art history of Hispanic settlement in Fort Collins. They are hoping the experience will bring insight into the production, budget, and distribution of their sophomore film. These issues are relevant to our community, but they offer value to the rest of the world as well.
In the shifts and the transitions our community is facing today, the growth plan and the becoming a creative arts community, there are underlying issues that occur that are not mainstream. The water that flows from our river feeds the whole United States. The culture that has built our town gave us the opportunity to be so nimble. With great growth comes great responsibility. It is all a process synced together. Be Reel acknowledges the creative opportunity this transition will give them. The story they tell in both films brings light to simple things that may go under the radar.
There are many ways to support beyond just giving money. Be a spokesperson. Tell a friend. Share the stories Be Reel is telling. Filmmaking is an art. The craft is the story.
Within the process, they bring together a collection of creatives from every medium. Pat them on the back and applaud their unique vision.
To fund this project and support local film click here: Community Funded
