The Montrose filmmaker who took on Donald Trump has now turned his attention to the crisis over drinking water in an American city.
Anthony Baxter made his name with 2012’s film You’ve Been Trumped which detailed the effect the property magnate’s golf course development in Balmedie, Aberdeenshire, had on locals.
He followed this up with another two films about golf course developments around the world, A Dangerous Game and Dark Side of the Greens and even managed to finally get a face to face interview with Trump.
He became aware of a scandal involving drinking water in Flint, Michigan, when he was screening A Dangerous Game at Oscar winner Michael Moore’s film festival in the state.
“State officials were insisting the water was perfectly safe, yet the families were experiencing these terrible health problems,” Baxter said.
“It reminded me of the desperation villagers in Scotland felt when going through their lonely battles with Donald Trump and how no one in authority would listen because they weren’t rich or powerful.
“But I was also struck by the dignity and heroism of the families affected in Flint, and by the scientists who gave their time to help them. And that is what inspired me to make the new film.”
Anthony has been filming in Flint since last summer, long before the story hit the national headlines.
Last week US President Barack Obama declared a state of emergency in Flint to deal with the crisis.
The problem was caused when the state decided to temporarily switch Flint’s water source from Lake Huron to the Flint River to save money until a new supply line to Lake Huron was ready.
Researchers subsequently found the water was highly corrosive and the levels of lead found in the blood of Flint children have skyrocketed.
A class-action lawsuit alleges the state Department of Environmental Quality did not treat the water for corrosion.
The city returned to the Lake Huron water supply in October, but the damage was already done. The state is now handing out filters and bottled water.
The new film is expected to be released in the spring of 2017.
Photo by Angus Pictures