Cocaine Waterboys

After seeing almost a hundred years’ worth of gangster films, we’re all familiar with the tropes: greed, betrayal, restitution, etc., and of course the black-market trade of products such as guns and drugs. Logic suggests gangster films of the future will continue down a similar path, except the illicit smuggling might involve fresh water. According to CharityWater.org, one-sixth of the world’s population already lacks regular access to clean drinking water, a number that experts expect will rise due to population growth and the trend toward the privatization of water supplies. FLOW: For Love of Water, playing at 8 p.m. at the Miami Beach Cinematheque, tackles the issue head-on, highlighting both the dangers and the promise of new technologies in the battle to provide this most basic of resources to the human race. The film won the award for best documentary at the United Nations Association Film Festival, highlighting how seriously the coming water crisis is to policymakers, so you might want to pay attention too.
Tue., June 16, 8 p.m., 2009