"The Unforeseen" chronicles Gary Bradley's efforts in Circle C

Kentuckians for the Commonwealth wants to keep our water clean and preserve the state’s natural beauty and resources.

When the Bluegrass land is gone, it’s gone forever, said Ellyn Crutcher, a Louisville member of the organization based in Berea.
  
To foster discussion about how to maintain the integrity of our water and land in the face of urban sprawl, the group is presenting "The Unforeseen," a documentary that premiered this year at the Sundance Film Festival. The film’s title comes from a line of poetry by Kentucky writer and conservationist Wendell Berry, who can be heard in the film reading from his work, "Santa Clara Valley."

The documentary, which has compelling motion graphics and scenes of stunning beauty, was co-produced by legendary director Terrence Malick ("The Thin Red Line") and actor/director/environmentalist Robert Redford.

It will be shown at 7:30 p.m. Friday in the Bomhard Theater at the Kentucky Center, Sixth and Main streets, Louisville KY. Admission is $15. The event also is a fundraiser for the social justice group. Tickets ($100) include a 6 p.m. cocktail reception before the screening with the film’s director, Laura Dunn of Austin, Texas, and reserved seats for the film.

Crutcher organized the event after seeing the 93-minute documentary at Sundance. The film follows the efforts of Texas developer Gary Bradley, who tried to subdivide 4,000 acres in Austin but ran into opposition from local citizens when the project threatened a spring-fed swimming hole called Barton Springs and its fragile aquifer, which are the lifeblood of the city.

Co-producer Redford, who learned to swim at Barton Springs, comments on screen about its significance to his own life and to the life of the city and future generations. The documentary contrasts the lyrical beauty of nature with the hardness of paved highways while offering a thoughtful and broad variety of viewpoints, from the motives and thoughts of the developer himself to the environmentalists who fought his project.

"It’s an amazing piece. For a documentary to go feature-length and hold your attention, it’s a testament to the power of what Laura Dunn has created," Crutcher said. "The film speaks to universal issues" about how we protect our natural resources and preserve open spaces for future generations, she said.

The greatest threat to the natural landscape and our environment is us, according to the non-profit World Monuments Fund, which reported that human activity is destroying cultural heritage through unchecked growth, wars and global warming. It’s happening every day and everywhere. In Kentucky, the prized Bluegrass region is being consumed at an extraordinary rate, said Crutcher.

Using the Austin case involving the once-pristine Barton Springs as an example, "The Unforeseen" examines these issues in a way that encourages communities to work together to solve environmental challenges. How do we preserve our land and water as acres and mountaintops disappear? Kentuckians for the Commonwealth believe it’s not too late to find economic and environmentally sustainable solutions.

To reserve tickets for the documentary, call the Kentucky Center at (502) 584-7777.

On the Web: www.twobirdsfilm.com and www.kftc.org.

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