View the trailer below:

Inspired by a dark and critically important period in the recent history of the United States, between October 2020 and April 2021, the “Something in the Water” documentary was created in the spirit of keeping democracy alive in a search for common ground. 

It’s the story of America  told through the eyes of a diverse group of people from across the United States who are struggling to understand and rationalize the ideologies that divide them as they live through a contentious Presidential election, the reckoning of  historical truths, nationwide social unrest, and the unfathomable loss of so many lives. Twelve chapters explore American perspectives around racism, economic disparities, democracy,  leadership, the Black Lives Matter movement, the American Dream,  COVID 19, and finding common ground.

These  collective testimonies paint a mosaic of a country that is rich, resilient, and as varied as its people, bringing hope to the promise of America at a time of tremendous division. Closed Captioning (CC) is available.

The "Something in the Water" documentary is an Important Films Media production.

Joseph C. Stillman (Producer/Director) is an Emmy winning filmmaker, producer, director, cinematographer, and writer. Born and raised in Corpus Christi, Texas, Stillman brings more than four decades of filmmaking experience to the creation of substantive documentary films, Motion Pictures, Television programming, and other video and film projects to clients from around the world. Documentary works include the internationally acclaimed, Citizen Clark... A Life of Principle, the story of former U.S. Attorney General and Human Rights activist, Ramsey Clark, and Rural Matters: Poverty in the Other America,  A consummate artist, dedicated to human rights and social justice, Stillman's works have been seen around the globe.

Jeri Wachter (Producer/Director) is a Georgia born, NYC, and Southern raised, filmmaker, producer, researcher, cinematographer, and speaker, creating films and events to inform and inspire action toward positive societal change.  Feature documentary works include Rural Matters: Poverty in the Other America, an intimate portrait of people living on the edge of economic insecurity.  She brings more than two decades of experience in scientific publishing, more recently as a leading advocate to advance equity in the workplace, and for twenty years, as co-founder and chair of William Andrew Publishing, an international publisher of major reference works on materials, energy, and ecology.

Americans across our land have many concerns and depending of course on what their individual and family situations and connection to history are, their viewpoints represent tremendous diversity, which is as we found, the great American experience.  As filmmakers, we take this responsibility seriously and are confident that our film offers an opportunity to learn from others what we don’t often get a chance to see.

The film sparks dialogue, a sense of respectful curiosity, and an atmosphere of caring deeply about our fellow Americans; thus, engaging viewers to begin a process to bridge misunderstandings about each other, and around challenging and critical issues in our country.

This work is intended for broad audiences, ages 14-103, in high schools, colleges and universities, as well as individuals at all levels in businesses and organizations, legislative policy makers, and where communities across our land can screen and hold forums. If you' like to inquire about scheduling a screening, email: info@importantfilmsmedia.com. 

Keep an eye out for news about upcoming festival screenings near you in 2022. Send us an email to be sure you're on our list for announcements. We'd love to hear from you.