Interview:
Ben Masters,
writer/director,
"The American Southwest"
After celebrating the natural wonders of Texas with his 2022 documentary Deep in the Heart, Austin-based filmmaker Ben Masters takes a journey down the Colorado River with his new nature and wildlife film, The American Southwest. Narrated by model and activist Quannah Chasinghorse, the documentary follows the Colorado River from its start in the central Rocky Mountains to its final stretch, the dried-up riverbeds at the Gulf of California in Mexico. Masters recounts the history of the Colorado River, including the 1922 Compact that regulated the river’s water among seven Southwestern U.S. states; spotlights some of wildlife population that depends on the river; and examines the sociopolitical and environmental issues that currently surround the river. The documentary also advocates for significant changes when the existing Colorado River management agreement expires at the end of 2026, including increasing in the amount of water allocation to Mexico to reverse the drying up of riverbeds. The American Southwest opens Thursday at the AFS Cinema. Ben Masters and members of The American Southwest film crew will participate in Q&A sessions after the 7 p.m. Sept. 4 and Sept. 5 screenings. Austin-based Ben Masters previously directed the 2022 Texas nature documentary Deep in the Heart, the 2019 border wildlife documentary The River and the Wall, produced the 2017 documentary Charged: The Eduardo Garcia Story, and appeared in the 2015 documentary Unbranded. Aired: Sept. 3, 2025. Web sites: https://theamericansouthwest.film/ https://www.finandfurfilms.com/ https://www.austinfilm.org/screening/the-american-southwest/ |
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