Oil Spill
Louis Heilbronn

Louis Heilbronn originally shot this footage in 2021 after an oil spill in Huntington Beach, California. He never fully edited it, and abandoned the project until earlier this year. In reference to the epic westerns that defined the American landscape in Hollywood films, Oil Spill is presented in black and white, and a 2.35:1 aspect ratio.

“I decided to revisit this material as a response to the new U.S. administration’s continuous repeal of our environmental regulations. I wanted to make the film silent as it reflects the country’s current silence and inaction regarding the ongoing climate crisis. The film documents both the oil spill cleanup effort as well as local beach culture. We see people playing volleyball, biking, and carrying surfboards alongside cleanup crews. For me, this juxtaposition speaks to how desensitised we have become to the destruction of our environment.”

A recent New York Times report (28 August 2025) reveals that the United States, wielding its economic might, is pressuring other countries away from their climate pledges and deeper into fossil-fuel dependence. Through trade deals and new alliances with oil producers, the U.S. is pushing nations to buy their oil and gas, blocking global shipping emissions cuts, and opposing restrictions on petroleum-based plastics.

“Through long takes of workers combing the beach for signs of oil, I wanted to stress the meticulous nature of these clean up efforts and the psychical stress it has on the bodies of those who are tasked with executing the work,” Heilbronn adds.