Miracle In the Desert

The Rise and Fall of the Salton Sea

interview by Jorge Perezchica

The 33rd annual Palm Springs International Film Festival, which runs from January 6-17, 2022, returns with its annual Local Spotlight of the valley’s homegrown films and filmmakers. From historical documentaries to deeply personal portraits, these films explore corners of the desert which have impacted the entire world.

Award-winning director Greg Bassenian, Founder & Executive Producer of commercial production and post house ​Aris​, has spent the last five years investigating, filming, and documenting an unfolding environmental disaster of extraordinary magnitude in ​Miracle in the Desert: Rise and Fall of the Salton Sea​. Once a resort destination for water skiers and bird watchers, the Salton Sea is now a desolate area triggering far-reaching environmental and public health concerns. This informative and poignant documentary outlines what happened to the “sportsman’s paradise,” and what can be done to save it. Coachella Magazine reached out to director Greg Bassenian to discuss the film screening January 11-12, 2022 for the 33rd annual Palm Springs International Film Festival.

What inspired you to become a filmmaker?
I’ve always had a deep passion for film and television, and when I was in middle school, I was totally obsessed with movies and TV and just watched everything I could get my eyes on. When I was in college, I majored in film and tv, and also did a lot of theater, so everything sort of dovetailed there. After I graduated, I immediately got started in the TV industry, working on different shows like The King of Queens, America’s Next Top Model and the CSI franchise. I had always wanted to go out on my own as producer/director, so I decided after having about a decade in the business to launch my own production company, and I have been at it ever since!

Miracle in the Desert spent five years in the making. What attracted you to the project and what were the biggest revelations you uncovered over the course of production?
There’s a certain indescribable pull of mystery when it comes to the Salton Sea. It’s a place where when you arrive, you look around and wonder what happened and why?  It’s incredibly beautiful, but at the same time, it seems very tragic. The day I got there, I just felt an odd motivation to figure out why everyone had left. That was the big question, and along the way, I met many incredible people and heard their amazing stories. A large part of the film then became about giving people in the area a voice, so that awareness about the plight of the sea could be raised. Ultimately, the biggest challenge was really funding. As an independent filmmaker, that’s always going to be a challenge, so things took much longer than I hoped, simply because we were really on our own in trying to finish the film.

The documentary makes use of extensive archive footage and photos to tell the story from its origin to the present. What was the biggest challenge?
One of the biggest challenges was documenting the early history of the sea and clearly presenting the origin story. Lots of people knew how the sea formed, but almost no one knew in detail the people and players involved. Our editor Blake Harjes did an incredible job doing archival research to find a lot of those photos, and he deserves a lot of credit for how he brought that entire sequence to life. It took quite a while to research that whole section and really get it nailed down.

What are the takeaways from meeting residents and experts of Salton Sea?
The sea is really a wonderful place that holds a lot of cherished memories for the millions of people who visited there. It’s still incredibly beautiful and peaceful. It’s just very unique and there are few places like it. They all have a great hope that it could hopefully either be restored, or at least, be remediated to a certain extent. There are obvious challenges in doing that, but it still remains something that people in the area are optimistic about.

Is there a realistic solution to Salton Sea’s plight — do you see a light at the end of the tunnel?
There are many solutions that could work, but the challenge is the cost and the approvals from the state. I do hope they enact a large scale restoration plan, and there are a lot of great people that are involved in trying to make that happen. There seems to be some gradual momentum building, and while some of that slowed down due to the pandemic, in my recent conversations, things seem to be moving forward, albeit slowly. In the short term — really, the hope is to prevent the air quality issues from affecting everyone as the sea continues to dry.

The movie ends with a dedication in memory of Marie Dugan who died following an asthma attack. Her sister, Michelle Dugan who also suffers from asthma and is interviewed throughout the film. What was your experience like meeting Michelle in person?
Michelle was incredibly open and courageous in sharing her story, and she’s just been so strong not only in the face of her own health adversities, but also for her own family and children. She has spent so much time being an active voice for people in the valley who suffer health issues due to the air quality, and she really deserves so much credit for raising awareness and doing that work. She was so instrumental in bringing a different dimension to the film by giving us a peek into what is happening, and we are so grateful that she was willing to share her journey with us and with the audiences that viewed the film.

What’s next? Is there another global disaster you’re interested in shining a light on?
I’ve been slowly thinking about a next project, though I have not developed it quite enough to share it just yet.  But, it does focus on the environment. I think the overall question of our environment is rapidly becoming the largest looming issue today, and it really is something that affects all animal and plant species across the globe equally.  It’s not just about humans, but it’s about everything on Earth and being able to preserve a system that keeps us on a planet that can stay in balance and continue to thrive.

WHAT: Miracle in the Desert: The Rise and Fall of the Salton Sea
WHEN: January 11-12, 2022
TICKETS: Palm Springs International Film Festival