Meuse Film Tour – 2022 Retrospective

This June 2022, Li An Phoa went on a Tour along the Meuse to screen the film Drinkbare Maas (Meuse à Boire), by Thom Verheul (2020). The film retraces the steps of Li An’s 1000km walk along the Meuse (2018).

The film was screened in several towns along the Meuse, where walks, talks and conversations were at the program. These events were an opportunity for Li An to reunite with people she met during her walk for years ago, and make other people discover the work of Drinkable Rivers and their local Meuse actions.

Previous Screenings

25 June: Monthermé, France

Co-organised with Plumes-et-Regards, the afternoon started with a walk along the Meuse, followed by the movie projection in the evening at the Jacques Brel cinema in Monthermé.

During the walk we did a Drinkable Rivers citizen science measurement. Amongst the audience there were former colleagues of EPAMA, a senatrice and there were around 15 children watching the movie who asked many interesting questions afterwards.

26 June: Charleville-Mézières

Co-organised with Plumes-et-Regards and some youth of Charleville-Mézières like Tanguy Dupas, a walk took place alongside the Meuse in Charleville-Mézières with a nice diverse group of about 20 people: with children, youth, professionals, local people who joined spontaneously and the former mayor of Wadelincourt and his wife, who were my Meuse angels back in 2018 hosting me for the night. In the evening we screened the film cinema Métropolis which was arranged by the municipality of Charleville-Mézières. This was followed by interesting reflections given by mayor Boris Ravignon, elected from Sedan Ines de Montgon, and the youth, including a Q&A at.

28 Juin: Source – Pouilly-en-Bassigny, Val-de-Meuse

The day started for Li An with a visit of the new source at Pouilly-en-Bassigny (to be officially inaugurated three days later). The mayor of Pouilly-en-Bassigny also showed us the new wastewater treatment plant. The mayor of Meuse, gave a tour around the source area showing me a 500-year-old oak tree ‘Tree of Justice’. The tree was beautiful, yet vulnerable, there were few leaves, maybe signs of drying. Let us take better care of this source area, it is important for all of us! In the afternoon we screened the film at Montigny-le-Roi with four classes who came to watch it. Also forester and Meuse angel Jean-Marie Collet joined us and a few journalists. We experienced some technical difficulties, but this gave us the opportunity to interact more amongst the children.

28 et 29 Juin: Neufchâteau

Part of a greater event, “La Semaine de l’Eau” organised by Samuel Choinet, REANE, part of the municipality of Neufchateau, Li An could screen the movie at “Trait d’Union” in Neufchâteau, Here it was a big reunion with Meuse angels who had helped and hosted me during the walk in 2018 and many new contacts were made as well. The following day, Li An joined the inauguration of the Water Walk along the Mouzon (tributary of the Meuse) and the Meuse and shared a bit about her lifework. Li An was delighted to meet local river hero Michel Joannés from Action Rivière Nature again now aged 96, who she has written about in her book ‘Drinkbare rivieren’ (2021) when meeting him also in 2018.

30 Juin: Maaseik, Belgium

Part of a greater event, Maascongres: “De Limburgse Maas: historisch rivierlandschap met toekomst”, Li An was invited by national park Kempen en Maasland and gave a presentation to a crowd of historians, archeologists and other patrimony and water enthusiasts.

Media

Special thanks to

Blanca for all her support; Plumes-et-Regards, Sylvie and Fabrice for organising and promoting the events with such care and dedication and thanks EPAMA for the support; Charleville-Mezieres, Tanguy Dupas, and Ardennes-Metropole for the support; Samuel Choinet for organising and hosting me in Neufchateau; Jean-Pierre Vinot supporting and hosting me in Val-de-Meuse; Bart, Alexandre and Arnaud for giving me the rides enabling me to travel by public transport; Maarten and Tom for supporting with the communication; Tom and Rachel for hosting me; Sari who helped as an intern in the beginning phase; and Thom the filmmaker for making and sharing the film.