Ethnographic Films
 
Up in Smoke
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Description

Duration: 13:59

An unregulated landfill caught on fire, with over 25 acres burning 100 feet underground for months. Who in Alabama is responsible for ensuring the health and safety of residents exposed to the smoke and toxic chemicals from the dump? My name is Olivia Hall and I’m a Junior Professional Writing major with a minor in Media Studies. Our film, “Up In Smoke,” is about a landfill fire in Moody, a city about 20 minutes east of Birmingham; it documents the community’s response to the situation and the government’s “efforts” to contain the flames. The fire was reported in late November 2022 and there is still an ongoing effort to understand the fire and put it out. We heard about this topic when deciding on film subjects in class at the start of the semester, almost 2 months after the fire was reported. We had no idea about it before then and we decided to pursue this subject because of the urgency and importance of the situation. And I’m so glad we did. The community out in Moody and Trussville have been more than supportive at every step of the way. I want to thank everyone who helped and encouraged us through the making of our project. Through making this film, I got to meet some awesome people working to give a voice to the community and advocate for greater environmental protections in Alabama. In these conversations, I learned about the pitfalls of our state’s environmental management agency not only for this situation but for issues all across the state. From lugging camera equipment through the woods and the mud to attending an environmental rally down in Montgomery, every moment of this semester has been beyond rewarding. This is the first film for both of us but it absolutely won’t be the last. I’m Annie Foreman and I’m a junior Computer Science major with a minor in film. Prior to this project, I was completely uninterested in landfills, as most people are. Through talking to people who have been affected by this fire, I have learned about illegal dumping and its effects on the environment and community. Landfill fires are not uncommon, but the fire in Moody is unusual due to its composition, size, and duration. The landfill that caught fire in Moody was permitted as an unregulated green waste landfill, but illegally accepted solid waste, meaning that hazardous materials were present. The Alabama Department of Environmental Management repeatedly ignored complaints about the landfill’s illegal operations. This is only one example of what happens statewide. When starting this film, we wanted to focus on the community’s experiences. We reached out in a Facebook group dedicated to the fire, and the support we got from the community was overwhelming. We met some amazing people who have been advocating for their community, and their work isn’t over. Green waste landfills remain unregulated in Alabama, posing a risk to the entire state. This film is meant to provide a voice for a community that has felt ignored by the agencies in place to protect them. In making this film, I have begun to further appreciate Alabama’s environment and the people working to protect it. This has been an extremely eye-opening and fulfilling experience, and I’m excited to further explore this issue this summer with Southern Exposure.

Publication Date

2023

Publisher

UAB Ethnographic Filmmaking

City

Birmingham, AL

Disciplines

Film and Media Studies | Film Production

Production Notes

Produced as part of the UAB Ethnographic Filmmaking class of 2023. All 2023 Ethnographic Films can be found on Vimeo here.

Streaming Media

Up in Smoke

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