Draft:Truth Be Tolled
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| Truth Be Tolled | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | William H. Molina |
| Written by | William H. Molina Deborah Fazackerley |
| Produced by | Storm Pictures |
| Cinematography | William H. Molina |
| Edited by | William H. Molina |
| Distributed by | Storm Pictures |
Release date | 2006 |
Running time | 97 minutes |
| Country | USA |
| Language | English |
”Truth Be Tolled” is an award-winning documentary series that captures and exposes the political corruption behind the proposed tolling of existing Texas highways and the Trans-Texas Corridor.
Synopsis[edit]
“Truth Be Tolled” provides an educational narrative of the circumstances that revolved around a state-wide policy shift towards creating innovative public infrastructure financing methods and tolling existing highways. Using a cross-section of grass-roots organizers, politicians, candidates, and average citizens, the film embodies the importance of the constitutional right to freedom of speech. "The issue at stake is preserving the way of life that Texans have always enjoyed with their freeways.’’[1]
“Truth Be Tolled is essential viewing for anyone who wants to understand how big money interests and government bureaucrats are hell bent on tolling Texas highways in spite of an overwhelming taxpayer opposition."[2]
Director and cinematographer William H. Molina began filming the independent documentaries after attending several public hearings and transportation meetings starting in 2006. A series of documentary films were drawn over the years from hundreds of hours of public meetings, press conferences, legislative sessions and interviews. Each documentary in the series is divided into the following individual separate parts:
PART 1: SH 16
SH 16 Special Edition revolves around public and city council meetings that take place in two small municipalities located along Texas State Highway 16. The first in the documentary series, follows the mayors and citizens of the small municipalities of Leon Valley and Helotes, Texas as they dispute a controversial proposal to build an elevated toll road through the middle of their communities.
PART 2: TTC 35
TTC Special Edition focuses on the controversial Trans-Texas Corridor. "Not surprisingly, the TTC became the principal issue in the 2006 Texas elections."[3]
“The deep unpopularity of the project had become clear to all. During the 2007 legislative session, rallies brought protesting farmers to the Capitol and raucous environmental impact hearings drew hundreds. The filmmaker William H. Molina tracked the opposition for his documentary “Truth Be Tolled”.[4]
"William Molina, the director of Truth Be Tolled, was there shooting footage for a second edition of his documentary, and he asked the Stalls to sit alone in their favorite seats while he filmed them..."[5] David and Linda Stall were the founders of CorridorWatch.org an organization of concerned Texans and public officials who questioned the wisdom of the Trans-Texas Corridor.
Government had found a new way to make money off public infrastructure. The plan was not only to convert existing roadways into toll ways without a public vote, but to seize over half a million acres of Texas soil and replace it with a 4,000 mile road, rail and utility network. The political establishment was not listening to the people—but their voices will be heard. Grassroots organizers to working-class Texans, all united to state their loud opposition. The strongest voices rose from small rural communities whose farms, homes, schools, businesses and churches faced the largest forcible eminent domain acquisition in U.S. history. The Trans-Texas Corridor would not only rip the heart out of Texas, it would kill a way of life that has been in the Lone Star State forever.
"Truth Be Tolled” captures Texans at those hearings stunned, angry and desperate not to have their farms and ranches taken from them. “It also reveals the clear indifference of TxDOT officials, who would sometimes drag out their presentations until late evening so people would leave or not ask questions or make statements. Most attendees, however, remained and had their say. In September 2006, a first edit of the film was shown throughout the state, drawing large audiences. The documentary was awarded first prize at Houston's 2007 film festival." [6]
2007 Official Selection and REMI Award Winner 40th Annual Worldfest Houston International Film Festival
PART 3: TURF
TURF Special Edition chronicles the events and shocking developments leading to a landmark lawsuit and exposes the truth behind the Keep Texas Moving advertising campaign.
“The Keep Texas Moving campaign is a one-sided attempt to advocate one political point of view on a highly controversial matter,” argues Terri Hall, anti-toll activist and founder of Texans Uniting for Reform and Freedom. “It’s clear they’ve not only crossed the line into illegal lobbying, but they leaped over it.” In a David and Goliath battle, Terri and her attorney Chris Riley, fight against all odds to halt the Texas Department of Transportation from spending taxpayer funds to promote the TTC and toll roads.
2009 REMI Award 42nd Annual Worldfest Houston International Film Festival
PART 4: US 281
281 Special Edition chronicles the dramatic events that emerge during public meetings, environmental lawsuits, press conferences and exposes the controversial truth behind the plan to toll US Highway 281.
Regional mobility authorities along with special interests have figured a way to make money on public infrastructure. The plan was to use public funds to convert existing highways, already paid and funded by taxpayers, into tollways without a public vote. Citizens cried highway robbery.
For more than seven years director William H. Molina had documented and recorded the efforts by TxDOT and government officials to convert US Highway 281 into a toll road and tracked the citizen resistance lead by grassroots activist Terri Hall. “This is not just one toll road, this is going to be an entire new policy, every new lane, every new road in the State of Texas is slated to become a toll road, if they can make it toll viable.” Terri Hall, a home-schooling mother turned citizen activist, fights among grassroots in an effort to halt the proliferation of toll roads.
2010 Official Selection and 2014 REMI Award 47th Annual Worldfest Houston International Film Festival.
PART 5: SH 130
SH 130 edition chronicles the dramatic events that emerge during public meetings, press conferences and a State Legislative session plagued by comprehensive development agreements, non-compete clauses and bankruptcy.
"Texas roads belong to Texans."
State Highway 130 is billed as one of the most expensive highway projects in Texas history. It's also the first time a private consortium designs, builds, operates and maintains a Texas tollway for the next half century. Corporations stand to profit as lobbyists and lawmakers pave the way for private foreign interests. "This stretch of road holds a very special place in our history. This is the first road built via a public-private partnership," proclaimed Governor Rick Perry. TxDOT also heralded, "This public-private partnership is a sign of good things to come and a preview of future transportation financing in Texas."
2017 REMI Award 50th Annual Worldfest Houston International Film Festival.
Reviews[edit]
“Local filmmaker William Molina has been at it again, pointing his camera at the gravity, the bravado, the incredulity, the smugness, the squirming and so many other performances that fill a toll-road debate that is bigger than Texas itself. Then he slices and dices. It's not good for the tollers. Molina doesn't like toll plans and how they're being pushed. So if you're a toll fan, you won't like this film. You might not be able to finish your popcorn. If you're dubious or angry about a wave of talk rolling across the nation to toll and privatize roads, you'll need the extra-large bag of popcorn.” Pat Driscoll San Antonio Express News[7]
A group of highway fighters in Indiana watched the fight in Texas. “The film produced sharp pangs of déjà vu among the group of I-69 veterans."[8]
“I’m doing the deliberate slow clap for Truth be Tolled documentary. They picked up the Platinum Remi award at the WorldFest Houston Film Festival. I had given Tolled caustic review back in October when they first rush released it.“ [9]
References[edit]
- ^ Trinotonian “Director screens Truth Be Tolled” by Jill Reddish October 27, 2006 Vol. 104 Issue 10
- ^ Canyon Lake Week “Documentary Following Highway 281 Toll Road Debacle Screened” by Douglas Kirk November 6, 2013 Vol. 18 No. 45 Issue 898
- ^ "Dangerous Business The Risks of Globalization for America" by Pat Choate 2008 Alfred A. Knopf p.72
- ^ New York Times “Perry Survived Even as His Big Plan for Texas Failed” by Deborah Sontag December 9, 2011 [1]
- ^ "Interstate 69 The Unfinished History of the Last Great American Highway" by Matt Dellinger 2010 Scribner p. 255, 277
- ^ "Dangerous Business The Risks of Globalization for America" by Pat Choate 2008 Alfred A. Knopf p.72
- ^ http://www.truthbetolled.com/reviews.php
- ^ "Interstate 69 The Unfinished History of the Last Great American Highway" by Matt Dellinger 2010 Scribner p. 256
- ^ San Antonio Current “Toll-road Redemption (for filmmakers, legislators and me) by Keli Dailey May 2, 2007 [2][3]
External links[edit]