Windfall (2012)

72% of critics liked it
(18 reviews)
38% of users liked it
(505 ratings)

Wind power... it's sustainable ... it burns no fossil fuels...it produces no air pollution. What's more, it cuts down dependency on foreign oil. That's what the people of Meredith, NY first thought when a wind developer looked to supplement the rural farm town's failing economy with a farm of their… More Wind power... it's sustainable ... it burns no fossil fuels...it produces no air pollution. What's more, it cuts down dependency on foreign oil. That's what the people of Meredith, NY first thought when a wind developer looked to supplement the rural farm town's failing economy with a farm of their own -- that of 40 industrial wind turbines. But when a group of townspeople discover the impacts that a 400-foot high windmill could bring to their community, Meredith's residents become deeply divided as they fight over the future of their community. With wind development in the United States growing annually at 39 percent, Windfall is an eye-opener for anyone concerned about the environment and the future of renewable energy. -- (C) First Run Features

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Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 23 min.
Directed By: Laura Israel, Autumn Tarleton
Genres: Documentary, Drama, Special Interest

In Theaters: Feb 3, 2012 Limited
On DVD: May 14, 2012
Studio: First Run Features

Critic Reviews

J. R. Jones, Chicago Reader
A full-throated attack on wind energy, this feature by Laura Israel is one of the most surprising (and depressing) eco docs I've seen in years.
Andy Webster, New York Times
[An] urgent, informative and artfully assembled documentary.
John Anderson, Wall Street Journal
Ms. Israel's movie proves, once again, that the best nonfiction cinema possesses the same attributes as good fiction: Strong characters, conflict, story arc, visual style.
Mark Jenkins, NPR
A veteran film editor making her first feature, Israel emphasizes the area's low-key beauty.
Andrew O'Hehir, Salon.com
It's a microcosmic version of the political divisions - between left and right, environmentalists and free-marketers, corporations and citizens - that have virtually paralyzed our republic.
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
"Windfall" left me disheartened. I thought wind energy was something I could believe in.
Tom Keogh, Seattle Times
The poignant, frightening and visually striking documentary "Windfall" places debate within a very human perspective.
Cole Smithey, ColeSmithey.com
Laura Isreal's probing examination of America's emergent windmill industry comes through a microsomal case study in the small upstate New York town of Meredith.
Jennifer Merin, About.com
Filmmaker Laura Israel's investigation of how construction of wind turbines in rural New York State impacts local citizens is an important reminder that there are no easy and quick fixes for environmental issues.
Doris Toumarkine, Film Journal International
A stunning debut, with a fascinating subject, an array of plain-folk talking heads, and precious access to a besieged community.
Chris Barsanti, Filmcritic.com
a handsome film about ugly things happening in a gorgeous place
Noel Murray, AV Club
The unbridled scare tactics cast too big a shadow over the agit-prop doc Israel ended up making.
Joseph Jon Lanthier, Slant Magazine
Whatever the legitimate arguments Windfall makes against the industry it targets, Meredith's feuding becomes just as inaccessible as the windmills that incite it.
Andrew Schenker, Time Out New York
It all feels like so much petty sniping against progress.
Louis Proyect, rec.arts.movies.reviews
A much needed second look at the promise of wind energy, so often put forward with scant attention to the impact of 400 foot monstrosities on the people suffering such "progress" in their midst.