2021 Southern Exposure films are now at all 18 Birmingham Public Libraries

Thanks to Alabama Rivers Alliance and Black Warrior Riverkeeper, Southern Exposure films, a collection of shorts highlighting Alabama, can now be found at all 18 Birmingham Public Libraries. Keep reading to learn how to get your hands on the film.

Southern Exposure Films: exploring Alabama

Southern Exposure Films are a collection of documentary shorts on various Alabama environmental topics such as renewable energy, water pollution and climate change. The 2021 edition of Southern Exposure has been featured at Sidewalk Film Festival in Birmingham as well as a dozen of other global film festivals such as EarthX and Environmental Film Fest at Yale.

The DVD that features all four 2021 films is now available across all 18 Birmingham Public Libraries for free rental.

“We are thrilled that the 2021 Southern Exposure films are available throughout Birmingham thanks to the dedication of our friends at Black Warrior Riverkeeper. This collaboration helps us ensure these short films, which celebrate the stories of communities and people making a difference in Alabama, are free and accessible throughout the Black Warrior River watershed year after year!”

Cindy Lowry, Executive Director, Alabama Rivers Alliance

The 2021 films

1. 54 Miles From Home

• This is an untold-until-now story of three families who opened up their land to provide campsites for thousands of people marching from Selma to Montgomery in 1965. The Halls, Steeles and Gardners share what their parents and grandparents sacrificed and how they continue to preserve the land.

• Directed by Claire Haughey.

2. Heal the River

• Learn from families and landowners located along the Tallapoosa River about how the hydropower dams built decades ago have caused them to lose land and use of the river. These families now have the opportunity to request changes to the operation of the dam via a relicensing process.

• Directed by Paulina Sobczak.

3. The Last Last Hike

• Follow along with 83-year-old Nimblewill Nomad, the oldest person to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail. Want to know something unique about the trail? The true southern terminus of the trail starts at Flagg Mountain in Alabama. Learn about his interaction of educating hikers about Flagg Mountian and his two decades and over 50,000 miles of hiking experience.

• Directed by Céline François.

4. Wastewater: A Tale of Two Cities

• Wastewater infrastructure continues to suffer throughout Alabama due to the lack of investment and the changing climate. Learn about the two districts in Montgomery that are facing troubles with sewage pathways and racial discrimination.
• Directed by Sarah Franke.

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