Dear Governor Cuomo

Governor Andrew Cuomo is considering lifting a moratorium against fracking in the state of New York. As he ponders this decision, he faces tremendous pressure on both sides. Organized by a collaboration of New York creatives — some of whom are familiar to Mountainfilm audiences: directors Jon Bowermaster (Oceans 8 2006) and Alex Gibney (Taxi to the Dark Side and Gonzo 2008, Magic Trip 2011), along with biologist and poet Sandra Steingraber (subject of Living Downstream 2012) — this concert protest film is an effort to persuade Cuomo to permanently ban the fracking of natural gas. The setting for much of it is at his statehouse steps, where actors and activists, scientists and singers — including Joan Osborne, Citizen Cope and Natalie Merchant — convene to persuade the Governor that fracking is bad for New York. This film inspired a related film project about Colorado called Dear Governor Hickenlooper, which will launch at Mountainfilm this year.