“Mini-Chernobyls”? “Cities of animals”? Local producer/director Don McCorkell’s documentary, Shall We Gather At The River, part of this year’s Santa Barbara International Film Festival, explores how and where a huge U.S. environmental hazard is looming and its effect on human health. McCorkell draws on his experience as an 18-year legislator and attorney to attack corporate-run poultry and meat farms and the federal government for what he calls “convenient lies” and a dangerous disregard for human health.

The film builds a convincing case against factory farming as it exists today, exposing what McCorkell says are examples of corporate power, greed and government buy-offs. It examines the unregulated use of ammonia, arsenic, growth hormones, antibiotics and animal abuse, and reveals the dangers of spreading disease to humans through resulting contaminated food and ground water supplies. It also explains why bird flu has scientists so worried. Including interviews with leading U.S. lawmakers, as well as medical professionals and researchers from around the world, the film also shows how waste generated by these factory farms is destroying rivers, lakes and parts of oceans.

This is definitely not a film for those who wish to continue believing that America has the safest food and water supply in the world. Apparently, we don’t! However, the film says solutions already exist and that their implementation is simply dependent on political will and the influence of Americans willing to press government officials to do something about it.

The film had its first screening Jan. 25 and will be shown at 4 p.m. Sunday at Center Stage Theater.

Jonatha King represents Shall We Gather at The River.