Dark Waters, Releases 31 January 2020

Star filled Cast in this David and Goliath Feature by Todd Haynes.

 Dark Waters tells the shocking and heroic story of an attorney who risks his career and family to uncover a dark secret hidden by one of the world’s largest corporations and to bring justice to a community dangerously exposed for decades to deadly chemicals.

Based on The New York Times Magazine article, The Lawyer Who Became DuPont’s Worst Nightmare, by Nathaniel Rich, Dark Waters chronicles the one-man crusade that sought justice for a community exposed for decades to toxins in its own backyard.

Corporate environmental defense attorney Rob Bilott, played by Academy Award®-nominee Mark Ruffalo, has just made partner at his prestigious Cincinnati firm in large part due to his work defending some of the biggest names in Big Chem. When Wilbur Tennant and his brother Jim, two small-town West Virginia farmers, ask for his help investigating the local chemical plant for purportedly killing their livestock, he balks, explaining that he represents chemical companies, not plaintiffs. Yet, something about their story stays with Rob, especially when he realizes one of his fondest summers as a boy was spent at a neighboring farm.

During a drive to the area, Rob’s observations don’t quite align with his memories—there is something beneath the surface of this corner of Hill Country. He also realizes that nearly everyone in the community owes much to the local chemical plant in Parkersburg, operated by DuPont. The Tennants believe that whatever DuPont is dumping in their landfill is polluting their creek and has wiped out their herd of nearly 200 cattle. Still, many of their neighbors cling to the idea that the company continues to look out for them, as it has seemingly done for years.

Supported by his supervising partner in the firm, Tom Terp, with Academy Award®-winner Tim Robbins in this role, Bilott uses his intimate understanding of how chemical companies work. He files a complaint, undertaking a targeted suit that will uncover just what is happening in Parkersburg. Thousands of personnel hours and years later, Bilott finds that his obsession to ferret out the truth has not only jeopardized his family—particularly his relationship with his wife, Sarah, played by international sweetheart and Academy Award®-winner Anne Hathaway, but also his reputation, his health and his livelihood. Just how much is he, and by association, those around him, prepared to lose to bring the truth to light? What is the price for justice?

Anchored by a nuanced and poignant performance by Ruffalo, who also produced the film, Dark Waters tells the unbelievable David vs. Goliath story of an attorney with unwavering conviction who fought for decades to obtain justice for a community victimized by a corporation driven by greed.

Participant presents this Willi Hill / Killer Content production; A Todd Haynes film. Dark Waters sees stars such as Mark Ruffalo, Anne Hathaway, Tim Robbins, Bill Pullman, Bill Camp, Victor Garber, Mare Winningham, William Jackson Harper, Louisa Krause, Kevin Crowley, Bruce Cromer, Denise Dal Vera, Richard Hagerman, Abi Van Andel, John Newberg, Barry Mulholland and Jeffrey Grover.

Dark Waters is produced by Ruffalo, Christine Vachon and Pamela Koffler, with Jeff Skoll, Jonathan King, Robert Kessel and Michael Sled, executively producing this film, with Mario Correa and Matthew Michael Carnahan in charge of the Screenplay.

Dark Waters is scheduled to open in South African Cinemas, on January 31, 2020.