May 3, 2009: Black Wave: The Legacy of the Exxon Valdez
Black Wave: The Legacy of the Exxon Valdez is a documentary which examines the aftermath of the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill. It follows the lives of a few specific families, and a scientist/activist, as the communities in Prince William Sound have dealt with the economic ups and downs in the decades since the spill, and the epic court battle for proper compensation from Exxon. One family spent their savings to get a fishing permit and went into business just before the spill, and by 1992-93 the fish were gone, and haven’t returned. Legal proceedings and multiple appeals have been going on for nearly two decades since the incident and only recently concluded with Exxon paying just a fraction of the damages it had earlier been ordered to pay.
It’s an appalling event, the selfish and dishonest behaviour of the company ever since has been even more appalling, and it doesn’t sound like anyone is any better prepared for such a spill now than they were when caught off guard back in 1989. It’s a compelling and madding story. The scientist was present at a Q&A after the film, and while I hate to admit it, her passionate anger does detract from the cause a bit, because the solutions suggested are more idyllic than realistic. Things aren’t going to significantly change unless changes are spread over a long period of time, and I’m far more inclined to realize that and work within that limitation, rather than shoot for the stars. Anyway, Black Wave is a solid examination of the Exxon Valdez spill and the often-forgotten aftermath, with a good mix of personal stories as well as hard facts and statistics, to appeal to a wide range of documentary viewers.
Tells what we need to know.
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