Private Project

Something in the Water

"Something in the Water" is a stunning mosaic of America searching for common ground woven from the voices of 200 Americans during unprecedented challenges and changes. The filmmakers journeyed 16,500 miles to 30 states over 50 days between October 2020 and April 2021 and captured the stories of 200 Americans who faced political division, racialized tensions, a sharp economic downturn, and a global pandemic that altered their lives. Their thoughts and perspectives reflect our time's most challenging issues and the hope, pride, love, and diversity of the people and this place we call our country and home. The film is educational, inspiring, and impactful, sparking dialogue among people from all walks of life.
"Something in the Water" sparks respectful curiosity and fosters dialogue among its viewers to help bridge misunderstandings. It explores American perspectives around racism, economic disparities, democracy, leadership, the Black Lives Matter movement, the American Dream, COVID-19, and finding common ground. The film is 100 minutes long.

2022 FESTIVALS
WINNER! 31st BVFF GRAND FESTIVAL AWARD DOCUMENTARY - STATE OF THE NATION, Berkeley Video Film Festival.
WINNER! 10TH STUFF BEST OF THE FESTIVAL CORPUS CHRISTI, 10th South Texas Underground Film Festival (STUFF).
OFFICIAL SELECTION 4th Morehouse College Human Rights Film Festival.
SEMI-FINALIST! Flickers’ Rhode Island International Film Festival.

  • Joseph C Stillman
    Director
    Citizen Clark... A Life of Principle
  • Jeri Wachter
    Director
  • Jeri Wachter
    Producer
    Rural Matters: Poverty in the Other America
  • Joseph C Stillman
    Producer
    Citizen Clark... A Life of Principle
  • Two Hundred Americans
    Key Cast
  • Project Type:
    Documentary
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 40 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    March 17, 2022
  • Production Budget:
    500,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Berkeley
    United States
    October 28, 2022
    West Coast Premiere
    2022 WINNER! GRAND FESTIVAL AWARD DOCUMENTARY - STATE OF THE NATION
  • South Texas Underground Film Festival
    Corpus Christi
    United States
    December 4, 2022
    Texas Premiere
    Best of the Fest - Corpus Christi
  • Morehouse College Human Rights Film Festival
    Atlanta
    United States
    September 24, 2022
    Official Selection - Full Length Documentary
  • Rhode Island International Film Festival
    Providence
    United States
    Semi-Finalist
Director Biography - Joseph C Stillman, Jeri Wachter

Joseph C. Stillman (Producer/Director) is an award-winning filmmaker, dedicated to human rights and social justice issues. Born and raised in Corpus Christi, Texas, his recent works include the internationally acclaimed feature documentary, "Citizen Clark... A Life of Principle," the story of former U.S. Attorney General and Human Rights activist, Ramsey Clark and "From Mills River to Babylon and Back... The Jimmy Massey Story." As an Emmy winning, Oscar nominated and Best Documentary Film Producer and Director, Stillman's projects have been seen around the globe.

Jeri Wachter (Producer/Director) is a NYC and Southern-raised filmmaker, producer, director, researcher, camerawoman, and speaker. She creates films and events to inform and inspire action toward positive societal change. Recent documentary works include the award-winning "Something in the Water," a film about finding common ground in America, and "Rural Matters: Poverty in the Other America," an intimate portrait of people living on the edge of economic insecurity. She brings over two decades of experience in the worldwide scientific, technical, and scholarly publishing industry, as an advocate for equity in the workplace, and for twenty years, as co-founder/chair of William Andrew Publishing, an independent publisher in disciplines including materials, energy, and ecology.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

The “Something in the Water” documentary is a stunning mosaic of America at a critically important period in the recent history of the United States. Between October 2020 and April 2021, Americans everywhere faced an acute and permanent change to the very structures of their social, domestic, and working lives. Whole communities across the country struggled through confusion, fear, and grief while reckoning with historical truths and the implications of a polarized nation. The film celebrates the extraordinary diversity of the American people and seeks to find common ground amid political division, social unrest, and a global pandemic.

It is an immersive and historical portrayal of the American experience through a non-binary and empathetic lens, as the collective testimonies of two-hundred people in thirty states, representing all regions of the U.S., bring real hope to this story about a country ridden with negativity and cynicism that are deeply embedded in the very social fabric of our daily lives.

It is a compelling, illuminating, and moving experience that elicits from the viewer a closer examination of the same questions discussed in the film. It helps us to face uncomfortable truths from America’s past, as well as the admirable strengths of present-day Americans, with outcomes that have affected a redefined democracy as a result. As filmmakers, we believe in the power of diverse voices to foster dialogue, raise hope, and bring positive change to some of the most challenging issues of our time.

Jeri Wachter and Joseph C. Stillman, Directors, The "Something in the Water" documentary