SALT LAKE CITY, Utah — A new documentary putting the Great Salt Lake’s decline under the spotlight is drawing crowds to downtown Salt Lake City, where free screenings are giving Utahns a chance to learn more about the environmental threat facing their region.
“The Lake,” directed by Utah filmmaker Abby Ellis, follows scientists and policy insiders working to address the shrinking Great Salt Lake and the potential consequences for air quality and public health.
Ellis, who moved to Utah from Michigan, said the project took shape as she and her team began learning more about the potential dangers of dust from the exposed lakebed.
After working on an investigation into the Flint, Michigan, water crisis, Ellis said the connection between environmental contamination and human health was difficult to ignore.
“When we learned that the lakebed is full of heavy metals and that the dust is getting into the air on a windy day, that was so obvious to us that this is a really important story,” Ellis said.
The filmmaker said the documentary offers a look at the people working to prevent a potential environmental catastrophe, including scientists and government insiders whose jobs have increasingly focused on addressing the lake's decline.
Ellis is urging Utahns to see the film, emphasizing that the consequences could arrive much sooner than many people realize.
“This isn't something that's potential for 30 years or 50 years down the line,” Ellis said. “We're looking at just a couple years, and it's your environment, it's your home. You're totally affected by it, and we can still turn back time.”
The film premiered earlier this year at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, where it received the U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Impact for Change.
Now, “The Lake” is reaching audiences at the Broadway Centre Cinemas, operated by the Salt Lake Film Society, on 300 South between State and Main streets.
Landon, a manager at the theater, said the special screenings have been drawing strong interest, with nearly all seats filling up.
For some moviegoers, the film offers an opportunity to better understand a crisis they have watched unfold for years.
Steve Reid traveled from Park City to see the documentary. He said he remains concerned about falling lake levels and wants to learn more about potential solutions.
While he has questions about some of the proposals being discussed, Reid said finding a way to address the exposed lakebed is an important part of the conversation.
Ellis said she hopes the documentary will help people understand the urgency of the situation while recognizing the work underway to find solutions.
“The Lake” runs approximately 90 minutes. Free screenings are scheduled at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. daily through Thursday at the Broadway Centre Cinemas.
The 2 p.m. screening on Sunday was sold out, but viewers can request tickets online through the Salt Lake Film Society at this link.