As the city of Sao Paulo rapidly runs out of fresh water, an upcoming Brazilian documentary examines the underlying causes of the urgent water crisis in a country that is home to 12 per cent of the world’s freshwater supply. The documentary, called Agua Vida (Water Life), was made by a team of Brazilian filmmakers and features the impacts of urbanization, hydraulic fracturing and large-scale industrial agriculture on freshwater supplies in Brazil. As the title suggests, the film is a passionate plea for the need to protect life on earth by averting the water crisis. As Brazilian activist Luiz Fernando Scheibe argues in the beginning of the film, “When scientists study planets, their first question is always whether there is water. They are actually asking whether there is life.”
The feature-length film is still being completed, but a 25-minute teaser is now available for viewing.