Still from Above All Else
Still from Above All Else
 

On Demand

Above All Else

by John Fiege
An inspired story of how direct action activists take to the tree-tops and work with land owners to fight against the construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline.
2014  ·  1h35m  ·  United States
English
About the Film
One man risks his family and future to stop the tar sands of the Keystone XL oil pipeline from crossing his land. Shot in the forests, pastures, and living rooms of rural East Texas, Above All Else follows David Daniel, a retired high-wire artist and circus performer, from the moment that he discovers survey stakes on his land, through years of activism and civic engagement, to four climatic days in September 2012, when Daniel made a final stand against the pipeline. Backed into a legal and financial corner, he rallies an eccentric group of neighbors and environmental activists to join him in a final act of brinkmanship: a tree top blockade of the controversial project. We see pressure mounting from local officials, other East Texas residents, and TransCanada’s legal maneuvers until Daniel is forced to confront his deepest motivations, and the fight becomes, as he says, “a battle in your soul.” Inspired by his example, other East Texas residents and a band of young, Occupy-inspired activists embark on their own acts of civil disobedience with different degrees of success. What begins as a stand against corporate bullying and property rights abuse would become a rallying cry for climate protesters nationwide. Photographed in beautiful, cinematic HD by director/cinematographer John Fiege, an intimate portrait emerges of unforgettable characters and their East Texas home, interwoven with an exploration of how they were driven to drastic action—ordinary people transformed into political actors through circumstances not of their choosing.
Upcoming Screenings

Stay tuned for upcoming screenings!

Festivals and Awards
2014
SXSW FIlm Festival, World Premiere
2014
Global Visions Film Festival, Winner: Best North American Documentary
2014
Dallas International Film Festival, Winner: Silverheart Special Jury Prize
2014
Hot Docs, Official Selection
2014
Sarasota Film Festival, Official Selection
2014
Atlanta Film Festival, Official Selection
2012
, Nominee: Texas Independent Film Award
In the Press
Review
The Austin Chronicle
Review
Variety
Review
Hollywood Reporter
Editor
Leah Marino
Producer
Anita Grabowski and Christopher Lucas
Production Company
Fiege Films
Executive Producers
Executive Producer: Daryl Hannah, Julia Butterfly Hill, Janet MacGillivray Wallace and Paul Bassis
Soundtrack Composer
Justin Sherburn

Share

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn
Reddit
Tumblr
StumbleUpon
Pocket
Telegram
Email