In the middle of the August 26 Ballot Measure 4 debate, filmmakers Travis Rummel and Ben Knight of Felt Soul Media, a Telluride, Colorado-based film company, produced a 55 minute documentary film. It is a must for anyone who wants to learn about Bristol Bay, the local fishing communities and the importance of the pristine environment to the subsistence life style of those who live in the area.  The documentary won Best Film Audience Award and Festival Director’s Award at the May 2008 Mountain Film Festival in Telluride, Colorado.

The filmmakers document the live style of several local fishermen. The film demonstrates that salmon (and other native species) are more than just food for the people who live there … they are the essence of their way of life.  Even though the film provides interviews with mining proponents, the conclusion that one reaches is that one mistake made by at the Pebble mine would destroy the last pristine ecosystem for wild fish in the United States.

As an example, one fact alone makes the Pebble Mine an extreme risk.   In the past, the area experienced earthquakes which have never caused major damage.  Once the huge holding ponds are built, an earthquake could cause them to release huge amounts of toxins into this environment.