Stan, Australia’s unrivalled home of original productions, expands its investigatory documentary slate with the new Stan Original Documentary Revealed: How To Poison A Planet.
From the heart of New York City, and the largest litigation involving drinking water in American history, to a small Australian Aboriginal community, who take on their own David and Goliath battle, Revealed: How To Poison A Planet investigates how the use of a product as seemingly harmless as firefighting foam, has resulted in the contamination of communities all over the world.
Featuring environmental lawyers Rob Bilott and Ned McWilliams and trial lawyers Gary Douglas and Rebecca Newman, Revealed: How To Poison A Planet, follows Gary and his team as they prepare to take on a global chemical company in what was said to become one of the largest environmental contamination cases in American history. In a nation-wide litigation, the team prepares to reveal explosive evidence, some of which has been suppressed for decades.
The formidable US legal team unveils what they allege a chemical company knew for decades about their man-made toxic “forever chemicals”, specifically, chemicals used in AFFF fire fighting foam, which have now contaminated drinking water, the environment and people all over the world. Since the 1950s, these toxic “forever chemicals” have spread to every corner of the globe and can now be found in the blood of 98% of the world’s population.
Gary Douglas said:
”For me it’s the pinnacle of my career. I can’t see anything more important than seeing this through. Seeing that justice is done and the parties responsible for contaminating our planet are held responsible.”
American corporate lawyer Rob Bilott turned environmental champion gained international prominence by exposing the world-wide impact of environmental contamination by the “forever chemicals”. Bilott’s discovery led to lawsuits, including class actions, that have resulted in billions of dollars in compensation for people harmed by PFAS contamination.
The documentary features award-winning actor and environmental activist Mark Ruffalo, who portrayed lawyer Rob Bilott in the feature film he produced, Dark Waters (2019). Ruffalo is passionately involved in addressing the global environmental and health impact of “forever chemicals”.
Mark Ruffalo said:
“The thing that was always astonishing to me, that people made the decision to go forward with putting these chemicals in our environment – they knew what they were doing, those were decisions made by people, you can’t help but ask, what kind of people do that?”
Revealed: How To Poison A Planet in collaboration with The Sydney Morning Herald journalist Carrie Fellner and iKandy Films, is a joint investigation into global PFAS contamination, featuring the Wreck Bay Aboriginal community located on the pristine coastline of Jervis Bay on the south coast of NSW.
Carrie’s Walkley-Award winning investigations and world exclusive series ‘Toxic Secrets’ series unearthed potential cancer clusters in Australia and the US and contaminated communities’ water supplies bringing the chemical contamination scandal engulfing Australia’s military bases to international attention.
Carrie and the documentary team unearth fresh revelations in Revealed: How To Poison A Planet about the contamination as the Wreck Bay Aboriginal community faces a devastating onslaught of illness including cancer and heart disease, many of which have been linked in overseas studies to PFAS exposure.
The Sydney Morning Herald investigative journalist, Carrie Fellner said:
“This is an international scandal that affects every single Australian. We have all been exposed to “forever chemicals”, it’s in our blood and everyday household products like makeup, clothing and cookware.”
“These chemicals have left a trail of devastation in communities across the globe, from our own backyard to being found on Mount Everest.”
“Our journalism is seeking to shine a light on this catastrophe, hold polluters accountable and see governments do more to keep ordinary citizens safe from these dangerous toxins.”
Revealed: How To Poison A Planet follows the Wreck Bay Aboriginal community as they launch an unprecedented class action against the Commonwealth of Australia for cultural loss. The contamination of their land has impacted their way of life and threatens the continuation of cultural practices their people have carried for thousands of years.
.jpg "Wreck Bay community elder Aunty Jean Carter McKenzie (photo credit Rhett Wyman -SMH)")
Revealed: How To Poison A Planet Director, Katrina McGowan said:
“This film has been four years in the making, starting with the small community of Wreck Bay here in Australia and taking us to the other side of the world.”
“The sheer scope of this issue is truly shocking and affects almost every person on the planet.”
Stan Chief Content Officer, Cailah Scobie said:
“The Stan Original Revealed slate continues to deliver deeply affecting and impactful feature documentaries.”
“Working with Carrie Fellner, iKandy Films, The Sydney Morning Herald, Screen Australia, Screen NSW and the Shark Island Foundation, this global story has come to light – examining the impact on a local First Nations community as well as the extraordinary work from the US legal teams.”
Revealed: How To Poison A Planet, is an iKandy Films production, directed by Katrina McGowan and produced by Janine Hosking, Katrina McGowan and Mat Cornwell in association with Shark Island Foundation.
Principal production funding from Screen Australia with support from Shark Island Foundation and Screen NSW.
Executive produced by Cailah Scobie and Amanda Duthie for Stan.
