WATCH THE FILM
Rights of Nature, Rights of People
When a fracking company targeted a small rural town in Pennsylvania as the site for a toxic waste injection well, the residents were caught off guard. They didn’t have all the facts, but they knew one thing for certain—it wasn’t right for their community. Led by two determined women, Judy and Stacy, the town came together to push back against corporate interests and government inaction. In a bold move, they adopted a groundbreaking Community Bill of Rights, recognizing the rights of nature in order to protect their drinking water, their 700 neighbors, and the threatened hellbender salamander that depends on their pristine streams.
This is the story of ordinary people who refused to stay silent—who challenged power, rewrote the rules, and stood up for their land, their health, and their future—because no one else was going to do it for them.
MEET THE CREW
The crew behind Hellbent poured incredible dedication and long hours into the film, braving tough terrain, unpredictable weather, and wet shoots to tell a powerful story of environmental justice and the fight to protect hellbenders and their habitat.
Producer
Mathew Podolsky
Producer | Cinematographer
Alex Goetz
Editor
Katie Garrett
Cinematographer
Michael Clark
Composer
Micah Anderson
Hellbent Ambassador
The Hellbender
Executive Producer
Jim Lesperance
Producer | Co-director
Justin Grubb
Producer | Co-director
Annie Roth
A FILM BY
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