Documentary describes debate over Jumbo Glacier Resort proposal

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A company opposed to the controversial Jumbo Glacier Resort west of Invermere, B.C. backed Nick Waggoner's documentary film Jumbo Wild on the project, but the filmmaker says the movie will still give both sides of the story.

It's a tricky bit of business ahead of Jumbo Wild's Oct. 8 world premiere at the Vancouver International Film Festival. At 76 minutes, Jumbo Wild is concise and succinctly effective in explaining the debate over the future of the $450-million resort project, which has been proposed for about 25 years. The film is also sharply photographed, and peppered with unforgettable imagery and personalities.

But it was financed by Patagonia, an outdoor apparel company with a commitment to environmental activism based in Ventura, Calif. Patagonia has supported groups opposed to the project.

Jumbo Wild was produced by Mr. Waggoner's Sweetgrass Productions. It features interviews with native and environmental critics of the project, as well as proponent Oberto Oberti and his associate Grant Costello.

Mr. Waggoner spoke with The Globe and Mail from New Denver, B.C, where he and his team were fine-tuning the edit of Jumbo Wild.

What do you say to people who see Patagonia's support for this project and assume they are getting one side of the story?

While we have a close relationship, ultimately Sweetgrass and Patagonia are two different things. It says a lot that a company like Patagonia would give Sweetgrass final cut. At the end of the day, what's important to the audience is we are telling the story and allowing them to make their decisions for themselves.

Do you think that sense of distinction will come across? Is there a risk that people may assume this is propaganda?

If anything, people are going to sit in this theatre and listen to Oberto's words and Grant Costello's words and say, 'Wow. I've never thought about that. I've never understood that side of development. I've never really understood that side of how economics work in these small towns, in these valleys.' And I think there's a great deal of empathy generated for those characters over the course of this film. To say this is propaganda is not really the truth.

What was Patagonia's role in the film? Financial? Editorial?

It was definitely backing the project. We have final cut. They definitely would sift through the issues and make sure we were presenting a fair and balanced story. They have a huge environmental team that was helping us. It was really an amazing resource to have.

You spend a lot of time in the film with the project founder, Oberto Oberti. How did you get his co-operation?

I went to him and said, 'I have a great interest in telling your story accurately.' That genuine interest was really what made it possible.

What did you make of him?

It was really a transformative experience for me to go from this understanding created by other media and newspapers to seeing [the developers] as really kind human beings and honourable and respectful human beings. They're not evil. They're not these crazy developers. There's no way to paint them with that type of archetypal brush. We had a car break down in the middle of a logging road and Grant Costello was the first to get out and change the tire. At the end of the day, it's just a question of value systems. And what's created this controversy is not good and evil. It's just very different value systems.

Do you think Mr. Oberti will ever back off trying to get this project done?

I don't think so. It's become, very much, a battle of ideologies. And what it stands for, for Oberto and everybody involved on the proponents' side, is really their entire view of the world would have collapse for them to give up on this project. And I would say the same for the opponents as well.

There's some intense, close-up footage of tagging grizzly bears in the film. What was that experience like?

It's powerful. You can see photos. You can see film. But once you really have a close-up encounter with an animal, you'll never forget that and be able to look at that animal in the same way. I've literally put my hand on that bear and smelled its fur, and taken a deep breath.

What did it smell like?

Like the most wonderful, deepest forest pine smell you could imagine. It was beautiful and this transcendent experience to take in this animal you would otherwise never be able to get so close to.

Were you scared?

No. Given the context and the people I was with, I wasn't scared. It was almost like this spiritual moment of connecting with this very, very powerful animal and, at the same time, coming to grips with our impact on this animal and the way we affect it.

Do you think this project will ever be built?

It has been around for 25 years. There have been a thousand endings that have never ended it or decisively made the decision in either direction.

This interview has been edited and condensed.