Fight Over New Movie, "Promised Land," Heats Up

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- "Promised Land" promises an unbiased look at the benefits and potential dangers of hydrolic fracking.

Moviegoers, like Eileen Castelli hope the film will assist them in deciding.

"I don't know enough facts to make a decision, and I hope this is going to help me make up my mind," she said.

But the Marcellus Shale Coalition says the movie, starring Matt Damon, is biased against natural gas development.

They are running an ad before all showings: "Please visit LearnAboutShale.org to get the facts about natural gas development."

"Any opportunity to engage the general public in some real education and some fact-based education is one we take very seriously," said the coalition's Steve Forde.

And this isn't the first time the industry has taken on a film -- as it did the documentary "Gasland."

In response, the gas industry sponsored its own documentary called "Truthland."

"I don't know what I'm going to see at the movie. I have an open mind," said Zelda Curtiss of Squirrel Hill.

Movie-goers want a better understanding of the pros and cons of natural gas development, but it's unclear whether "Promised Land" or the documentaries will shed light or merely inflame the debate.

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