June 11, 2011
Ohio

Wind-turbine documentary to be shown in Adrian

BY TOM HENRY, BLADE STAFF WRITER, The Toledo Blade, www.toledoblade.com 11 June 2011

ADRIAN – Filmmaker Laura Israel said she used to get the same rush of adrenalin that a lot of people get when they see a massive, commercial-scale wind turbine for the first time.

But the prospect of so many of them dotting the landscape near an idyllic, upstate New York village where she goes for peace and serenity made her rethink her position on them.

The result is Ms. Israel’s independent documentary film, Windfall, which has been shown in parts of North America, South America, Europe, and Australia since debuting in Toronto last September.

A special, one-time free screening of it will be held Saturday at 7 p.m. in the Christian Family Centre, 1800 West U.S. 223, Centre Stage Auditorium, Adrian. Doors open at 6:30.

The local showing was arranged by the Interstate Informed Citizens Coalition Inc., a Blissfield-based group opposed to plans for commercial-scale wind farms in southeastern Lenawee County.

Details about Ms. Israel’s film are at windfallthemovie.com/index_1.html, including information about eight film festivals that have given it recognition.

In a telephone interview as she was leaving to promote the film in Ireland, Ms. Israel said issues surrounding the large machines have created divisive battlegrounds across the world similar to the one in Lenawee County.

The bottom line is a need for responsible siting, she said. The industry’s leading trade group, the American Wind Energy Association, has agreed proper siting is essential.

Much of the film takes place around Meredith, N.Y., which is due south of Cooperstown and halfway between Albany and Binghamton.

Ms. Israel said she has a log cabin there, a place where she goes to escape the hustle and bustle of New Jersey.

“My interest in the project and in saving the world became involved in protecting the community,” she said. “It just fascinated me how divisive this was in the town.”

Ms. Israel said she hopes the movie inspires people to ask hard questions and do homework.

In a prepared statement earlier this year, the American Wind Energy Association claimed the film is fraught with misinformation. It referred people to powerofwind.com for stories about communities that have had positive experiences with wind power.

Windfall’s Web site said the documentary “is an eye-opener that should be required viewing for anyone concerned about the environment and the future of renewable energy.”