Polski
Water in film is a subject that allows many screenwriters and directors to express themselves creatively. Dramatic visions related to its resources were shown, among others. In Water World, Dune or Hydrozagad. Regardless of the assessment of the artistic merits of the aforementioned titles, I invite you to consider whether the situations depicted are merely an invention of the creators, or perhaps a disturbing vision of the future.
Water in film – real threats a source of inspiration
Challenges of water scarcity or surplus are realities we face personally or hear about or read about when they happen in other parts of the world. The main problems with water stem from its deteriorating quality due to anthropogenic pollution. Therefore, it is necessary to diagnose further groups of harmful substances, discovering their impact on the environment and ways to eliminate them.
We are also facing water quantity challenges and the severe consequences of both water shortages and droughts and excess water in the form of flooding and waterlogging. Scientists agree that the responsibility for the current condition of all environmental resources lies with humans. It turns out, unfortunately, that the fiction brought to life in the films of the last century is not completely disconnected from the reality around us.
A vision of the future in which the Earth has turned into a vast ocean
I am aware that the film Water World (made in 1995) did not get the best reviews. Not even the creation of Kevin Costner, who was on top at the time, conquered them. However, I draw attention to this image because it shows the Earth after an environmental catastrophe, as a result of which the polar ice caps melt and water completely covers the mainland. In order to survive, people lead a life of lonely sailors or live on artificial islands (known as atolls). In the film, the most valuable resource is land, and everyone persists in the belief that there is a so-called “land”. end of the water – the legendary dry land. They are constantly searching for him, even though no one has seen him before. Waterworld is a vision of a tremendous will to survive (often associated with lawlessness), but also to adapt to the conditions in which people have come to live.
This film shows the effects of a progressively warming climate and the continually disappearing glaciers around the world, and the consequences of these phenomena: the loss of habitats for many species, rising sea levels and disappearance of land, coastal erosion or flash floods. Global warming is creating the appearance of our planet, and scientists are outdoing themselves in predicting which islands or coasts will be flooded first, ruling out their continued habitation. This problem may also affect the Polish coast.
A tale of life on a planet whose surface is covered with a sea of sand
The image of Dune is inspired by the content of Frank Herbert’s novel of the same title, first published in 1965. In it, the author has created a world different from Earth, nevertheless clearly inspired by the life of nomads wandering in the Arabian deserts.
The story takes place on the desert planet Arrakis (the titular Dune), where temperatures reach over 60°C and humidity is marginal. Under such conditions, water (in any form) is the most precious resource. The planet is inhabited by Fremen, who organize their colonies (siches) in a small number of caves. Circumstances in which they lived led them to create suits for themselves, known as “the suits. filters that protect against overheating and water loss. It is a type of suit made of fabric that traps moisture, as well as metabolic secretions, from which it then recovers water. The fluid collects in special reservoirs (hunting pockets), which allows the filter user to hydrate himself with a special tube. The suit works through the energy generated by the movements of the person wearing it.
Dune is a land where water is so precious that it is recovered even from the dead, and the gesture of spitting in front of an interlocutor is a sign of great respect, sharing what is most precious – one’s own secretions! The Fremen yearn for free access to water resources, although it must be said that they stand their ground firmly, as their adaptation to living conditions is impressive.
There are already known technologies that recover clean water from any type of contamination, the so-called “clean water”. water renewal processes. So far, their use is limited by economic considerations. On the other hand, we can observe visions of green, modern cities being implemented on a huge scale on desert-like lands and with the participation of gigantic volumes of desalinated seawater. This is happening in places where financial issues are of little importance. Like environmental resources and acting in accordance with nature. However, nature can painfully rebuke respect, if only by bringing catastrophic downpours. A case in point is the United Arab Emirates and the unprecedented rainfall that hit Dubai in mid-April. Time will tell if this country will at least reduce its harmful actions towards the environment.
On prudent management of resources, or how water disappeared in Warsaw
The native production, Hydrozagadka (filmed in 1970), is a science-fiction comedy. It’s a mix of grotesque and parody thrillers and comic book stories about superheroes. The title mystery is the disappearance of water in Warsaw’s taps during the most intense summer heat. A scientist supported by the legendary and fearless superhero Ace is working on its solution. Following the example of American superheroes, Ace works under the guise of a draftsman in a design office by day, but when the country is in danger, he puts on the garb of a hero.
As it turns out, the culprit of Warsaw’s problems is Doctor Stain, who conducts illegal business with the Maharaja. Together, they plan to transfer, by means of evaporation and auspicious winds, huge masses of water from Poland straight to the desert Kabur. In thwarting these despicable plans, the heroic Ace will not even be hindered by the alligator Herman, controlled by German commands and allowed into the Vistula. Separating the kitsch and chaos, the plot also contains an important message: the scale of the consequences of satisfying an individual’s needs with nobody ‘s water is enormous.
An example of the biggest ecological disaster is the almost complete disappearance of the Aral Sea, which back in the 1960s was still in the process of disappearing. In the 1970s. was the fourth largest on Earth, and whose resources were squandered. Soviet authorities decided to build canals to guide its water through the desert with the aim of, among other things. creation of cotton plantations in Kazakhstan. As a result, most of the transported water soaked in or evaporated and did not reach the crops, but drained away from the lake.
Film and literary fiction one step away from reality
Water has always fascinated man, because on the one hand it gives life and on the other it takes it away. Human settlements are springing up around its sources, and it is its presence on other planets that suggests they may be inhabited. This is much more than combining oxygen and hydrogen atoms into a single molecule. There’s a reason why the theme of water appears in hundreds of literary and film items – this medium is meant to evoke strong emotions! Many artists are inspired by true stories, but conquer them with their own visions. However, they are not that far from reality!
We increasingly feel the progressive degradation of the Earth’s resources. Change cannot be undone, but lessons can be learned, attempts can be made to reduce the rate of destruction, and ways can be sought to adapt and survive. Let literary and film items not only entertain, but also inspire thought. I recommend especially to those who do not find it easy (as I do) to accept the state in which we will leave the Earth to our children and future generations.
Anna Michalowska. Trained as a water technologist, environmental engineer and hydrologist. For the past 17-odd years, he has been professionally involved in soil and water balance measures for linear investments. On a daily basis, he faces around-water challenges at the stages of project design, implementation and maintenance. She is the author of the blog You Are Water www.jesteswoda.pl and www.facebook.com/jesteswoda, where she covers topics related to conscious water management and inspires water conservation on a daily basis.
Photo. main: Buzz Andersen/Unsplash
