ABOUT THE FILM

Water has shaped all human societies and the life of every human being, from the dawn of civilization to our days. Water will also dictate our future.

How this precious ressource runs in our societies will have great impact on the environment. It will alter power relations and the balance between rich and poor. It could also determine war and peace and the destinies of countries and entire continents.

In the documentary "The Future of Water", professor and author Dr. Terje Tvedt raises these and other water issues that will have profound impact on our future. Because the future of water is the future of humankind.







This is not a film about climate-change as such, but water will impact the climate, and the climate certainly will influence the future of water. The image presented is not one of an end to civilization as we know it. Neither does it promote the technological "quick fix" solution. It avoids reductionist scare-scenarios, but presents a sober, yet disturbing picture of future challenges and possbile solutions to the future of water.

Many documentaries deal with aspects of the water-issue. This film takes you on a different journey. "The Future of Water" gives the viewer a comprehensive, coherent and original story of how the future of humankind is intimately linked to the future of freshwater. The film views global developments through the prism of water, thereby providing an unusual and exciting perspective both on the future and on water.

What are the big challenges, and how are different societies preparing to meet them ? "The Future of Water" will answer these intriguing questions.

Panopticon is producing "The Future of Water" in cooperation with Centre for Development Studies at the University of Bergen.

Professor Terje Tvedt is the script writer and the host of the series. He has committed his life to the study of the role of water in history and development. Terje has travelled down the famous rivers, from Indus to Colorado - and the Rhine - observing how the power of water is transforming the landscapes of societies, and society itself.

Being an internationally renowned expert on water, he has published several reference books on the subject.
Read more about his work

In 1997 Terje wrote the script and presented A Journey in the History of Water, which is one of the most successful TV documentaries ever produced in Norway. It has been broadcasted by TV channels in more than 100 countries. The DVD based on the series is now being used for educational purposes in several countries.
Read more about "A Journey in the History of Water"

The "Future of Water" is an independent sequel of the production from 1997, and is ready for broadcast 10 years later.

In March 2005 the United Nations launched its "Water for Life" decade. The world leaders agreed that from 2005 to 2015 they will focus on fulfilling international commitments on water issues. The subject of "The Future of Water" is undoubtedly among the most important topics on the present international agenda.

The following institutions have granted financial support for the TV documentary:

The Norwegian Foreign Ministry
NORAD (Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation)
The Norwegian Research Council
The Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate (NVE)
Statkraft
The Freedom of Expression Foundation, Norway
Yara
Minor Foundation for Major Changes

One of the directors of "The Future of Water" is Anders Taylor Larsen. He is a highly skilled documentary director with many years of experience from NRK, the national and public TV channel in Norway.
Read more about Anders

Photographer and producer is Erik Hannemann. Erik is a filmmaker dedicated to the documentary tradition.
Read more about Erik

Filming the documentary started in March 2005 and was completed spring 2007. It is now ready to be screened.