CRUDE Documentary to Premiere in Chevron's Backyard

CRUDE Documentary to Premiere in Chevron's Backyard

Trudie Styler Invites 6,000 Chevron Employees to CRUDE

SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 25 /PRNewswire/ -- CRUDE, the controversial documentary chronicling the $27 billion lawsuit against Chevron in Ecuador, opens in San Francisco, Chevron's backyard, this Friday. In advance of the premiere, today prominent human rights activist featured in CRUDE, Trudie Styler, extended a personal invitation to 6,000 Bay Area Chevron employees to see the film for free.

To inspire dialogue with Chevron employees, today Ms. Trudie Styler sent a personal invitation to every Chevron employee in the Bay Area, including CEO David O'Reilly. In her invitation Ms. Styler explained the impact of her experiences visiting Ecuadorian rainforest communities living with oil pollution and contaminated drinking water. Chevron is being sued for dumping 18 billion gallons of toxic wastewater and abandoning over 900 unlined crude oil pits.

"You may know me as Sting's wife ... You may also have heard my name mentioned as ... speaking out in support of the 30,000 Ecuadorean citizens who are pursuing Chevron to clean up the pollution the company left behind in their homeland," wrote Ms. Styler in her letter to Chevron employees. "Many people will assume that you and I must be on different sides of the fence on this issue. But I don't believe that. I'm willing to bet that you and I, and all of your colleagues, agree that everyone has the fundamental right to the life-supporting elements of clean air and clean water ... I'd like to give you the opportunity to make up your own mind about what has been going on in Ecuador. I'd like to invite you to the movies."

"CRUDE puts Chevron on trial in the court of public opinion and allows the audience to judge for themselves how much responsibility Chevron bears for the disaster in the Ecuadorian Amazon," said Mitchell Anderson, spokesperson for Amazon Watch.

CRUDE's success has been met by attacks on the film's integrity by Chevron representatives. However, Chevron Spokesperson, Kent Robertson, would not confirm whether any Chevron representative has seen the film despite screening offers from Director Joe Berlinger. Today's invitation offered Chevron employees free tickets redeemable in San Francisco or Berkeley.

"By refusing to clean up the mess left from their oil exploration in Ecuador, Chevron is letting children suffer from some of the world's most heinous environmental destruction when they could be doing something about it.," said Rebecca Tarbotton, Program Director for Rainforest Action Network.

Media Contacts: Nick Magel, (415) 487-9600, nick@amazonwatch.org

Nell Greenberg, (510) 847-9777, nell@ran.org

Source: Amazon Watch; Rainforest Action Network

CONTACT: Nick Magel of Amazon Watch, +1-415-487-9600,
nick@amazonwatch.org; or Nell Greenberg of Rainforest Action Network,
+1-510-847-9777, nell@ran.org

Web Site: http://www.amazonwatch.org/

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