Directed by Kaitlyn Schwalje and Alex Wolf Lewis
U.S. | 2026 | Documentary | 73 min | English
Sponsored by Ryan Chartier and Jordan Redell; The Water Resources Division of the Burlington Department of Public Works
Thursday, October 22 | 4:15 PM | FH
Winner, Audience Award, 2025 Camden International Film Festival Panel discussion with Christopher Cox, chief operator of the Montpelier Water Resource; Matthew Dow, director of Wastewater Facility for the City of Burlington; and Jon Groveman, water program director for the Vermont Natural Resources Council, following the screening A buddy comedy about poop and the thankless pursuit of making a better world, Unless Something Goes Terribly Wrong will make you rethink sewage and wastewater. Fact is, wastewater plants across the country have aged beyond their intended lifespans, plagued by cracking pipes, faulty equipment, and cancer-causing PFAs. USGTW examines the day-to-day operations of one wastewater facility and the funny, close-knit, and inventive individuals working to keep it all running. For a movie about sewage and dire infrastructure problems, this is a funny, engaging, and even optimistic film. ~SM