Leonardo DiCaprio’s Appian Way Prepares for Sundance with New Documentary ‘The Lake’
Appian Way Secures Executive Producers for Environmental Documentary Premiering at Sundance
Appian Way Productions, co-founded by Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Davisson, and Phillip Watson, will executive produce The Lake, which is set to premiere at the Sundance Film Festival. The film explores pressing environmental concerns surrounding the Great Salt Lake.
Directed by Abby Ellis, known for Flint’s Deadly Water, The Lake investigates a grave environmental threat lurking beneath the lakebed. According to the film, a toxic reservoir containing elements such as arsenic, lead, and mercury could become airborne, posing significant risks to the millions residing in Utah’s Wasatch Front metropolitan area.
The documentary, produced in collaboration with Sandbox Films, Ibis Films, Little Monster Films, and Cranium Productions, will debut on January 22, the festival’s opening day. It highlights the urgent situation in Utah and features the efforts of scientists and political figures working to avert disaster.
A recent press release described The Lake as a film that transcends conventional environmental narratives, stating, “This isn’t just about saving a lake—it’s about reckoning with our own complicity. The film asks: What is your role when catastrophe looms?” The release further posits the overarching question: “Can we save ourselves from ourselves?”
Ellis expressed her personal connection to the subject, stating, “I was drawn to this story because Utah is my home, and the stakes couldn’t be higher, but it was the characters in our film who captivated me.” She emphasized the universal relevance of Utah’s story, noting its reflection of broader environmental issues globally. “Having the support of Appian Way and Leo, Jennifer, and Phillip will only help enhance our reach with this incredibly timely and relevant story,” she added.
The Lake will be represented at Sundance by William Morris. Davisson remarked, “Abby’s work resonated with us instantly, and we knew immediately we needed to be a part of the journey to bring this powerful film to Sundance.” She underscored the film’s alignment with Appian Way’s mission to promote urgent environmental tales.
Following the premiere, the film will also screen in Salt Lake City on January 23 and in Park City on January 28, 29, and February 1.
Sundance’s festival program emphasizes the tome as a crucial record, calling it a narrative of “monumental ecological and social consequence.” It highlights the film’s exploration of the intertwined fates of the Great Salt Lake and its surrounding communities, encapsulating the urgent discussions of knowledge dissemination and environmental responsibility.
In addition to DiCaprio, Davisson, and Watson, The Lake has several executive producers, including Harrop, Caitlin Mae Burke, Chai Vasarhelyi, Anna Barnes, Jimmy Chin, Geralyn White Dreyfous, Heather Kahlert, and Rachel Crane.
