High Plains Films Clip of the Week

Film Clip: In Milltown, A Dam is Goes Down

By Doug Hawes-Davis, High Plains Films, 7-17-09

Editor’s Note: High Plains Films, the Missoula-based non-profit documentary shop responsible for such films as Libby, Montana and Brave New West, has been documenting the work going on in Montana’s Bonner/Milltown community outside of Missoula, where the Milltown Dam has just been removed, allowing the Clark Fork River to flow freely for the first time in 100 years. Below, filmmaker Doug Hawes-Davis explains the following clip:

We’ve been working on a no-dialogue film about the Bonner/Milltown, Montana area for about five years. We began by simply documenting as much of EPA/Envirocon work at the dam and reservoir as possible, but started branching out to other aspects of community life. This is a “deleted scene” that documents the first couple of days of the removal of the small Stimson Dam at the lumber mill site on the Blackfoot River. It’s not likely to be in the final film, but because it is substantially edited, we thought it would be fun to post here. It also features nice cinematography by former Missoula filmmaker, Valerie Krex and music by former Missoula rock band, This is a Process of a Still Life. The song is titled, “The Possibility of Flight” from their CD, “Light.” The soundtrack for the film TWO RIVERS (working title) will feature more music from “Process” as well as our long-time collaborator from Birmingham, Alabama, Ned Mudd and Portland-based dobro player, Ivan Rosenberg. We’re hoping to complete the movie by Summer 2010. This segment was edited by Doug Hawes-Davis.

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