NEPA filmmaker's documentary garners Sundance award

A Wayne County filmmaker took home a coveted award at the Sundance Film Festival in Utah for his documentary exploring the tribulations of natural gas drilling in the area and throughout the U.S. Packing along a camera and traveling the lonely roads of Arkansas, Texas and Wyoming, Josh Fox said he discovered a landscape once desolate and at ease transformed into an industrial complex. "What I saw when I went out on the road was an absolute nightmare," Fox said by phone after winning the U.S. Documentary Special Jury Prize on Saturday for his film "GasLand." "Of course you're always surprised," he said. "I think it's a testament to how strong the stories are of the people." The film, which runs an hour and 47 minutes, also earned one of very few premiere slots at the independent film festival, which was founded by Hollywood actor and director Robert Redford. Fox, 37, who owns 20 acres in Milanville and spent some of his childhood there, decided to investigate the contentious issue after receiving a lease offer in the mail for his property...read more