WHAT LIES UPSTREAM

Cinemavixion Review

In "What Lies Upstream," filmmaker Cullen Hoback delivers a chillingly relevant documentary that probes the depths of political and corporate malfeasance. The film meticulously investigates the 2014 Elk River chemical spill in West Virginia, which left over 300,000 residents without safe drinking water for months. Hoback's investigation, lauded by The Washington City Paper as "the scariest film at AFI DOCS," unearths a disturbing pattern of scientific cover-ups and governmental negligence, implicating not only industry leaders but also agencies like the CDC and EPA. Variety accurately describes it as "a quietly devastating documentary" that builds a "persuasive case" against those entrusted with public safety. Winner of the Special Jury Prize for investigative filmmaking at the Seattle International Film Festival, "What Lies Upstream" is a powerful testament to the importance of journalistic integrity and a stark warning about the unseen dangers lurking just upstream.