“The Fight for Water”
Wins Over Critics
AUGUST 26, 2013 -- "The Fight for
Water: A Farm Worker Struggle", a documentary based
on the historic 2009 march that spanned across the Westside of the California
Central Valley to the San Luis Reservoir by farmers and farm workers, won the Best
Documentary in Cinematography Runner Up Award and the Best Documentary
Political Film Runner Up Award at the Action on Film International Film
Festival in Pasadena, California, which ended this past weekend.
The film was also nominated for Best Documentary, Best
Cinematography Feature and for The Sony Software Award for "Excellence
in Filmmaking" in a Major Genre.
The festival showcased the works of independent writers,
producers, directors and actors from around the world in all genres.
Furthermore, “The Fight For Water” has been selected to
screen internationally alongside some renowned environmental films from around
the world later this year at the 6th Annual Kuala Lumpur Eco Film Festival in
Malaysia. Additional screenings are planned in the U.S. and, in
particular, California.
The Northern California Living Series Magazines reviewed the
film and called it, "Compelling... A 'must see' film!" It also won an
Honorable Mention for Best Documentary Feature at this year's Los
Angeles Movie Awards.
Juan Carlos Oseguera, a San Francisco State University
alumnus, is a published film critic and has won awards in writing, producing
and directing.
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| Juan Carlos Oseguera |
Raised in the California Central Valley by parents who were
migrant farmworkers, Oseguera set out to film the 2009 march and document the
farm workers’ struggle as a lesson to be learned and a voice to be heard.
Multitalented, Oseguera produced, directed, wrote, shot, and
edited the film, the first feature-length documentary under his production
studio, Filmunition.
The documentary features two Latino farmers, Joe Del Bosque
and George Delgado, who describe how federal water measures contributed to fields
going dry in 2009 in the Westside of the California Central Valley while
refuges that protect a threatened fish received all of the water designated for
the Westside.
This diversion of water affected their community
tremendously; the governor declared the area a disaster and the state
provided food assistance to over 200,000 farm workers who lost their jobs.
Oseguera uncovered class, social and environmental
intricacies behind water access and distribution in California, and the ripple
effect it has on all of us.
Hollywood actor Paul Rodriguez, who helped organize the
water march in the style of Cesar Chavez, is featured for his activism in this
cause. Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger also appears on the film.
Los Angeles area music composer Benjamin Coria and
California Central Valley musicians, Dustin Morris and Eric Vega, contributed
to the film's emotional score. Coria is a trained pianist, orchestrator and
composer who has scored numerous award-winning film projects. His work can be
heard in the documentary film, Bet Raise Fold (2013). He currently
produces music for Access Hollywood and Inside Edition.
Dustin Morris is singer and songwriter who has scored short
films and is a member of the rock band Solar Powered People, which has a
large following in Europe. Eric Vega composed “Se Me VA”, “The Fight For Water”
film’s thematic song, exclusively for the film. A songwriter, singer and stage
performer, Vega has produced music albums of his own and for other
artists. He recently performed at the L.A. Comedy Festival.
For additional information about the film and film
screenings, visit:
For filmmaker interviews or to book film screenings, contact
filmunition@yahoo.com or call (209) 675-2988.
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Labels: A Farm Worker Struggle, Action on Film International, Filmunition, George Delgaldo, Joe Del Bosque, Juan Carlos Oseguera, Paul Rodriguez, Schwarzenegger, The Fight For Water Film, Westside
