Dirty Laundry

How did a 90-year-old grandmother and housewife die from a rare form of cancer whose only cause is exposure to asbestos? Answer: asbestos dust on the clothes of her husband, who worked at Shell Oil's Wood River Refinery in Roxana, Illinois. Fueled by curiosity over their grandmother's surprising death, two cousins embark on a 4200 mile bicycle tour across the United States in search of answers. Through interviews and research, they uncover a trail of corporate disinterest and broken families, bound together by a common thread -- asbestos exposure and the death sentence of mesothelioma.

Wishing they could have asked their grandma more about her life and illness, Conor and Zack's story starts with that very scenario. In an ethereal white room, furnished with a lone chair and a vintage television set, the cousins take turns engaging in a conversation with their Grandmother Iva. Armed with what they've learned from both her and initial interviews with family members, the cousins begin their journey of discovery.

From coast to coast, the cousins interview surviving family members, doctors, activists, and community members who are still living with actively toxic asbestos sites. The film reveals the stark reality of corporate dissembling and the apparent disregard for both the lives lost and the lives still being placed at risk from the continued manufacture and use of asbestos, the creation of open asbestos waste sites, and the reckless excavation of contaminated ground.

FILMMAKERS' STATEMENT: "As director of the film, I feel uniquely qualified to tell this story. It is a film born out of family: it was funded by family, produced by family, starring family - my family. I offer a fresh perspective I hope will energize, as well as educate, a younger generation of change makers. The diseases caused by asbestos are particularly brutal and there is no known cure. Even more troubling, for decades corporations knowingly exposed their work forces, while publicly denying the health risks, and some of this continues today.

My hope: If viewing this film will cause people to think twice about asbestos, we can save lives. I wanted to create a film that would make do-it-yourself home renovators aware of the potential risks BEFORE taking out that wall, or touching that insulation."

-Conor B. Lewis

Preview link available upon request. Contact support@videoproject for more information

A Film by Conor B. Lewis

74 minutes

Scene Selection • Closed Captioned

Grades 9 - Adult

Item #: DRL-1155

Fueled by curiosity about their grandmother's death, two cousins bike across the US for answers and learn about asbestos expsure and mesothelioma

Starting at $89

Licensing Options

K-12 Schools, Public Libraries, Community Groups - $89 K-12 DVD + Digital File - $139 Colleges, Businesses, Other Institutions - $395 Colleges (DVD with Digital Site License) - $495

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Reviews and Festivals

"Recommended...adds to other films on this topic by adding in a narrative feature"
— Educational Media Reviews Online

"Strongly recommended...the information unearthed is critical"
— Video Librarian

"The Asbestos Disease Awareness Organization(ADAO) highly recommends Dirty Laundry, a powerful documentary about asbestos, as a must see educational film."

— Linda Reinstein, President/CEO/Co-Founder of ADAO

"Shows the raw emotion of attempting to understand what transpired in the lives of those with mesothelioma and those who love them. A must see for everyone!"

— Jill Waite, Director of the Bruce A. Waite Miles for Meso 5K Run/Walk

"Absolutely frightening, eye opening and touching storytelling that clings to your insides well after the screen goes black...While watching Dirty Laundry you will be transported to a time of innocence, love and security, but there is a darkness lurking and that darkness is mesothelioma."

— Nikki Nicole, Small Business Owner

"Very informative and definitely makes me more cautious being in the construction industry...Will open your eyes."

— Joe Buck, Sheet Metal Worker

WINNER

Alan Reinstein Award

New Hope Film Festival, Cultural Spirit Award

OFFICIAL SELECTION

St. Louis Filmmakers Showcase

Kansas International Film Festival

San Luis Obispo International Film Festival

New Hope Film Festival

Newport Beach Film Festival

KC Film Fest

The Workers Unite Film Festival

Illinois International Film Festival

Santa Monica International Film Festival

Hoboken International Film Festival

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