Ahead of its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, Leonardo DiCaprio, along with Jennifer Davisson and Phillip Watson, have boarded the feature documentary The Lake from director Abby Ellis and producer Fletcher Keyes.
The film follows two intrepid scientists and a political insider as they race the clock to save their home from unprecedented catastrophe. Directed and produced by Ellis (“Flint’s Deadly Water”), the doc follows these scientists and politicians from both sides of the aisle who are battling to save the Great Salt Lake – the largest saltwater lake in the Western Hemisphere – as it rapidly vanishes. Beneath the drying lakebed of Great Salt Lake lies a toxic reservoir of heavy metals – arsenic, lead, mercury, and more – poised to become airborne, endangering the millions of people living in the metropolitan region of Utah called the Wasatch Front.
“I was drawn to this story because Utah is my home, and the stakes couldn’t be higher, but it was the characters in our film who captivated me. For over three years, I’ve felt every bit of hope and dismay that comes with watching people fight to save something you love. The experience has been both frustrating and scary, but at the same time, inspiring,” said Ellis. “What’s happening in Utah is a microcosm for so many environmental stories around the world. Having the support of Appian Way and Leo, Jennifer and Phillip will only help enhance our reach with this incredibly timely and relevant story, and we are thrilled to have them join our incredible team.”
“Abby’s work resonated with us instantly, and we knew immediately we needed to be a part of the journey to bring this powerful film to Sundance. It reflects the ethos of Appian Way and our desire to support important and urgent environmental stories,” added Jennifer Davisson. “We hope audiences not only respond to this pivotal documentary but also look inward and work together on sustainable solutions in their own communities.”
For The Lake: Director is Abby Ellis; Producers are Fletcher Keyes and Abby Ellis; Executive Producers are Jessica Harrop, Caitlin Mae Burke, Chai Vasarhelyi, Anna Barnes, Jimmy Chin, Geralyn Dreyfous, Heather Kahlert, Rachel Crane, Leonardo DiCaprio, Phillip Watson and Jennifer Davisson.
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