ADDICTED TO OIL: THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN REPORTING

World Premiere

With the price at the pump well over $3.00 a gallon and the cost of the war on terror mounting, Ken Levis' new documentary featuring Thomas Friedman couldn't be more timely. The Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times columnist brought globalization to the masses with The World Is Flat. Now with ADDICTED TO OIL he takes on petro-politics, investigating the relationship between America's energy consumption, world oil prices and geo-political power.

In a recent column, Friedman wrote "there appears to be a specific correlation between the price of oil and the pace of freedom." As the price of oil rises, so rises the megalomania of leaders from "petro-ist" states, so Friedman calls them-turning back the tide of democratization at the end of the 20th century. In a straight-forward reporting style, and with a touch of humor despite the dire predictions at play, Friedman brings clarity to our understanding of these complex relationships.

Most fascinating is to see how the new politics of energy make strange bed fellows: evangelical Christian leaders join with environmental groups and national security experts such as former CIA Chief James Woolsey to advocate for policy change that will reduce carbon dioxide emissions and reduce our dependence on foreign oil. Together they argue, "we are funding both sides of the war on terror."

Global warming is a hot topic for documentaries at the moment: the subject is far from exhausted. ADDICTED TO OIL provides an in-depth investigation of our options-from hybrids to hydrogen, wind power to solar panels, and beyond-to reduce consumption and CO2 emissions. There's a wait-list for the Prius and those who go green are au courant, but it will take more than fashion to provide America with a 12-step program for our oil addiction.

In a "TimesTalk" following the screening, Friedman will discuss the film and answer questions from the audience.

-Patricia Finneran

Sponsored by

DIRECTOR BIO
Kenneth Levis is an experienced television director, producer and editor. He has worked on numerous PBS programs, including a biopic on George Marshall and documentaries for AMERICAN EXPERIENCE. He was also the editor on A PERSONAL JOURNEY WITH MARTIN SCORSESE THROUGH AMERICAN MOVIES.

Print Source:
Julian Hobbs
Discovery Channel
julian_hobbs@discovery.com
240.662.7567

6/16 at 5:30 PM
6/16 at 6:30 p.m. - "TimesTalk"

FILMS BY: TITLE | DATE | COUNTRY | INTEREST | SECTION