In Theaters: May 17, 2013 Limited
On DVD: Jul 15, 2013
Unrated, 1 hr. 10 min.
Documentary, Drama, Special Interest
Directed By: Beth Gage , George Gage
Distributor: First Run Features
The Bush administration’s announcement in 2008 of its intention to auction-off the mining rights to many square miles of virgin land located in national forests ignited waves of protests by environmental activists. But when picketing, petitioning and the lobbying of politicians failed, the government proceeded with its plan to grant oil and gas mega-corporations access to the pristine parcels.
Crashing the auction was Tim DeChristopher, a frustrated college student who had participated in the pro-nature preservation demonstrations. He impulsively joined in the bidding and by the end of the day had purchased the rights to 22,000 acres of real estate in the Utah wilderness for $1.7 million with the hope of somehow saving some soil from fracking
Trouble is, he had neither funds nor the wherewithal to extract any minerals, which was a technical violation of federal law. And since the energy industry doesn’t cotton to tree-huggers interfering its their profit margins and inclination to “Drill, baby drill!” it prevailed upon the government to throw the book at Mr. DeChristopher.
By the time the dust settled several years later, the outspoken economics
major was convicted and carted off to prison to serve a two-year sentence.
While Tim’s trials and tribulations are the front story of Bidder 70, this
eye-opening documentary co-directed by Beth and George Gage simultaneously
issues an urgent call for non-violent civil disobedience on the part of
citizens truly concerned about global warming and the unchecked consumption
of non-renewable carbon.
A powerful, empathetic portrait of a selfless, planetary patriot willing to
sacrifice his liberty for the sake of Mother Earth‘s long-term prospects.
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