Set in the backwoods of Louisiana, Haynesville: The Hunt for an Energy Future follows the historic discovery of the United States’ largest natural gas field. The documentary examines the effect of the energy boom on three lives caught in the middle of the fervour: A single mother takes up the defence of her community’s environmental rights, a preacher attempts to use his new-found wealth to build a Christian school, and a self-described “country boy” finds himself conflicted as he weighs up losing his land against an oil company’s offer to make him a millionaire.

Fundamentally however, Haynesville offers a penetrating analysis of the world energy market and what a discovery the size of the Haynesville Shale - equivalent to 28 billion barrels of oil - could mean to the world’s energy picture.

Festivals and Awards

Official Selection: Sheffield Doc/Fest, 2009