Producer of Josh Fox Climate Change Documentary Jailed and Her Footage Confiscated for Filming Oil Pipeline Protest Action in North Dakota

WALHALLA, N.D., Oct. 12, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Deia Schlosberg, the producer of Josh Fox's new climate change documentary "How to Let Go of the World and Love All the Things Climate Can't Change," was arrested yesterday in Walhalla, North Dakota for filming a protest action against a pipeline bringing Canadian tar sands oil into the US. The action was conducted by Climate Direct Action, but Schloserg was not part of the group and did not participate in the action, only filmed it. Her film footage was confiscated, and she is currently being held in jail.

Schlosberg is an award-winning filmmaker in her own right, and works with Josh Fox's International WOW Company. "How to Let Go," which she produced, is the third film in the Oscar-nominated, Emmy-winning GASLAND series.

Arrest of journalists, filmmakers and others witnessing and reporting on citizen protests against fossil fuel infrastructure amid climate change is part of a worrisome, growing pattern. Amy Goodman, host of Democracy Now, was arrested last month for covering Native American-led protests of the Dakota Access Pipeline. The actress Shailene Woodley was arrested and jailed this week while leaving a protest at a construction site for the DAP. She was singled out, she was told by police, because she was well known and has 40,000 people watching her facebook page.

"Journalism is not a crime; it is a responsibility," said filmmaker Josh Fox about this pattern of arrests, including his producer Schlosberg's. "The actions of the North Dakota Police force are not just a violation of the climate, but a violation of the constitution." 

Fox's GASLAND film trilogy deals with fracking, fossil fuels, climate change and citizen action.  Fox himself was arrested and jailed in 2012 for attempting to film a Congressional hearing on fracking, and charged with "unlawful entry." The charges were later dismissed.

NOTE TO EDITORS AND PRODUCERS: Josh Fox is available for interviews on request. To arrange one, please contact: Stephen Kent, [email protected] 914-589-5988

SOURCE International WOW Company