Montana Kaiman, March 12, 2003
by Ira Sather-Olson

Local film makers hardly get a chance to showcase their films on a regular basis in Missoula, but there are exceptions. Local documentary film maker Doug Hawes-Davis, co-founder of High Plains Films, will have three of his movies shown in a double feature environmental cinema presentation at the New Crystal Theater this week. The festival is coordinated by the University of Montana's Wilderness and Civilization Program. The film festival starts Friday, March 14, with a movie called In the Reign of Twilight directed by Kevin McMahon at 7 p.m. It will be followed by Hawes-Davis' Varmints at 9 p.m.

Varmints examines the issue of killing prairie dogs for recreation and for control, an issue much contested in eastern Montana and in many western states. In the Reign of Twilight is a documentary which shows the complete history of the Cold War buildup near the arctic in Canada, Hawes-Davis said. "The film itself is beautiful," he said. "People will be drawn in to it." On Saturday, March 15, In the Reign of Twilight will be shown again at 7 p.m. and Hawes-Davis' This is Nowhere will be shown at 9 p.m. This is Nowhere documents the lives of people who travel in their RV's to Wal-Mart's all across the nation to "camp out."

The final night of the double feature series is on Sunday, March 16, with scheduling for movies identical to the previous nights except for the 9 p.m. show which will feature Hawes-Davis' Killing Coyote.

Killing Coyote examines the demise of the coyote by ranchers who kill coyotes to protect their livestock, as well as people who kill coyotes for fun or prizes. Hawes-Davis has directed and produced his own documentaries for the past 10 years, he said. He said he became motivated to start making his own documentaries when he viewed a film made by a local film maker at the International Wildlife Film Festival. He said it was a low budget film, but it was well done. He was completing a graduate thesis on a similar topic and decided to try his hand at film making. "It's effective at educating people and entertaining them at the same time," he said. "I hope they're provocative," Hawes-Davis said regarding what he wants people to take from his documentaries. "I hope that they're challenging to people but entertaining at the same time."

Hawes-Davis is currently working on a documentary entitled Libby, Montana, which is a profile of the town and its history, as well as an observational study of the town's asbestos contamination, he said. Hawes-Davis said film making has become a full-time job for him in the past six years. he also said it can be more work that what's reasonable, but that he really enjoys it. As with any film maker, certain directors have had an influence on Hawes-Davis' work. These people include Errol Morris, Barbara Kopple, Fred Wiseman and Velcrow Ripper, he said. He also said the early '60s and '70s cinema verite filmmakers have also had an impact on his work. Tickets for the double feature environmental cinema are $6 for general admission and $5 for students and seniors.