Unless Something Goes Terribly Wrong
As America’s aging wastewater systems strain toward failure, one determined plant fights to stay operational. In Portland, Maine, manager Dustin Price and his dedicated team battle crumbling infrastructure, “forever chemicals,” and public misconceptions, revealing unsung conservation workers who approach daunting challenges with humor and resolve while keeping their community’s water clean, safe, and constantly flowing.
Sponsored by Sue Kemnitzer
After the film, we had a conversation with Shepherdstown’s public works team, Mayor James Gatz, “Woody” Coe, and Kenny Shipley, on the modern systems that safeguard our water.
Filmmakers: Alex Wolf Lewis and Kaitlyn Schwalje
Running Time: 74 mins
Language: English
Type: Invited Feature
Alex Wolf Lewis is a documentary and commercial director/ cinematographer. He has traveled the world, shooting for Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown, Vice, Netflix, HBO, CNN, Apple+ as well as Academy Award Winner Laura Poitras’ All The Beauty and The Bloodshed. His short doc, Snowy, premiered at Sundance.
Kaitlyn Schwalje is a science journalist and award-winning documentary director based in Portland, ME. Her director credits include the short documentary Snowy (with Alex Lewis) (Sundance ‘21, Critic’s Choice nominee, DOCNYC Shortlist). Her stories about her disaster-obsessed father, tsunamis, how archeology saved the cat, and city squirrels have appeared in CBC, Atlas Obscura, WNYC, 99% Invisible, National Geographic, and others.
