FUEL, a rousing and revolutionary film, opens at the Clay on Fillmore this weekend, as well as theaters across the country. FUEL shows real steps everyday Americans can take to end our catastrophic dependence on fossil fuels. Winner of the Best Documentary award at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival, FUEL is an amazing, in-depth, personal journey of oil use and abuse as it examines wide-ranging energy solutions other than oil, the faltering US auto and petroleum industries, and the latest stirrings of the American mindset toward alternative energy. Josh Tickell’s stirring, radical and multi-award winning FUEL may be known by some as the “little energy documentary,” but in truth, it’s a powerful portrait of America’s overwhelming addiction to, and reliance on, oil.

Having been born and raised in one of the USA’s most oil producing regions, he saw first hand how the industry controls, deceives and damages the country, its people and the environment, and after one too many people he knew became sick, Tickell knew he just couldn’t idly stand by any longer. He decided to make a film, focusing both on the knowledge and insight he discovered, but also giving hope that solutions are at reach. A ‘regular guy’ who felt he could make a difference, he spent 11 years making his movie, showing himself – and others – that an individual can indeed make a difference.

As first time director and narrator of the film, Tickell offers a virtual tour guide through the drama of fuel, the history, the politics, the mess that the world is in and the fascinating alternatives for a way out. In the movie, he interviews politicians, historians, professors and a sprinkling of activist celebrities, all of whom have their own take on one of the most important and pressing concerns of the modern era. Interviews with a wide range of environmentalists, policy makers and educators, along with such “green” celebrities as Woody Harrelson, Sheryl Crow and Larry Hagman offer serious fuel for thought.

Growing up amongst the oil refineries in Louisiana, Tickell experienced the impacts of dirty oil processing at a young age. After watching members of his family suffer from pollutionrelated cancers, Tickell began a lifelong quest to find sustainable, clean energy sources. In 1997, Tickell set out on the road with a biodiesel powered “Veggie Van” and a video camera and began filming what would eventually become known as FUEL, the 2008 Sundance Audience Award winning documentary film that investigates the possible replacement of fossil fuels with renewable energy. Over the course of his 11 year journey, Tickell traveled the world going to over 25 countries, authored two books, founded a nonprofit organization, and jumpstarted America’s biodiesel movement.

Tickell's Veggie Van Organization was selected by President Bill Clinton as an inaugural part of his Global Initiative on Climate Change. The organization serves to educate people about sustainable energy and provide pathways for integrating sustainable energy into homes, communities, cities, states and ultimately nations. He holds an undergraduate degree in Sustainable Living from the New College of South Florida and an MFA in Film from FSU’s School of Motion Picture Television and Recording Arts.

FUEL encourages the discussion about the consequences of abusing our oil resources. Especially now, during this moment of “Change” going on in our country, it is extremely important to examine all the factors that have contributed to not only the economic meltdown, but also the environmental crisis and this country’s position in the world. And now as Americans look for answers and seek accountability, FUEL can help break the discussion wide open as it exposes the shocking connections between the auto industry, the oil industry and government, while exploring alternative energies such as solar wind, electricity and non-food based biofuels.

FUEL is an example of the social movement that is going on in the country. As our government seeks to bail out the auto industry and our new President speaks of investing in alternative energies as the way of our future and creating green industries, FUEL challenges the audience to make a change and seek accountability, reinforcing the idea that the power of every individual can and will make a difference.

FUEL is opens this Friday at the Clay (note: it is at the Clay, NOT the Lumiere as was previously planned) theater here in San Francisco. FUEL is a great and informative film. Hope you all can make it and that this message finds you well. There will also be a 15 minute Q&A at 9:00 pm with Ken Caldeira and Eric Smith. Below are the details.

Showtimes for the Clay:
Friday-Sunday: 2, 4:30, 7, 9:30

Monday-Thursday: 7, 9:30


Eric "Doc" Smith is the Executive Director of Green Depot, Vice Chair of the San Francisco Biodiesel Access Taskforce and a board member of the Biofuels Recyling Cooperative, architects of the SFPUC's SF Greasecycle program.