"The Mudslinging in the Wetlands," Lorenza Munoz and ‘Wetlands" More Promotion Than Documentary," by James Bates, Los Angeles Times, April 24, 1999

"Business Writers Was Wrong Choice for ‘Wetlands’ Review", four letters to the editor, all supporting the film, "Los Angeles Times," May 1, 1999

Counterpunch: Production Team Takes Issue with the Ballona Wetlands Stories," "Los Angeles Times," by filmmakers Sheila A. Laffey, Todd Brunelle, Lorraine Salk, Jay Elliot, May 10, 1999

"DreamJerks: Steven Spielberg and His Billionaire Partners Would Bulldoze E.T. to Get the Playa Vista Megadevelopment Built on L.A.’s last Surviving Wetlands. But Outraged Citizens May Topple These Giants," cover story, "New Times Los Angeles, June 3-9, 1999

‘The Last Stand,’ Teaches Importance of Ballona Wetlands," "Daily Bruin," newspaper of UCLA, April 16, 1999, by David King

"Wetlands Screening to Show Saturday," "Daily Trojan," Newspaper of USC, March 5, 1999, by Claire Luna

"Documenting the Battle Over the Ballona Wetlands," Culver City Chronicle, June 2, 1999, by Lawrence C. Ross, Jr.

"Documentary Film on Wetlands to be Shown Here Next Week," "Santa Monica Mirror," December 1-7, 1999

"A terrific, clear statement of the Ballona issue." Haskell Wexler, Oscar winning cinematographer ("Bound for Glory," "Who’s Afraid of Virginia Wolf?")

"From Walden to Wao Kele O Puna to Wetlands," chapter by Producer Sheila A. Laffey, Ph.D. in The Search for Reality: The Art of Documentary Filmmaking, edited by Michael Tobias, Michael Wiese Productions, 1998 (available in bookstores or contact www.mwp.com or 818-379-8799)

FROM PRODUCER, CO-DIRECTOR OF THE LAST STAND, Sheila A. Laffey, Ph.D.

Dear Editor,

I am responding to Marc Haefele's attack on our film, The Last Stand &Mac220;The Struggle for Ballona Wetlands ("The Last Stand," May 12) Haefele has added this award winning documentary to his many salvos against citizens and groups which have raised concerns about the many problems plaguing the Playa Vista development in Playa Del Rey.

In terms of Haefele's dismissing the film as "anti-Playa Vista" "The Weekly's" own critic, Hazel Dawn Dumpert, perceptively wrote that "while the film constructs a solidly convincing argument= for leaving the wetlands be, it also presents a clear-eyed and even- tempered account of the many factions battling over Ballona's fate. The filmmakers not only refuse to demonize the smiling politicians who exalt the promise of jobs, the DreamWorks lackeys tirelessly toeing the company line, or the citizens desperate for economic opportunity; they also decline to lionize the scientists, fishermen, amateur ecologists and political activists working to save the microcosmic ecosytem from extinction." (1/99) Now that is what I call a real review compared to Haefele's distorted diatribe!

Rather than posturing that the film is "based on a lie," Haefele should review "The Last Stand" more closely to see how many of the maps, plans and documents (including one that lists 82.2 acres of the concretized Ballona Channel as open space) were actually created by the developers themselves.

If Haefele had his glasses on he would have noticed bulldozers directly behind host Ed Asner on the bluffs east of Lincoln, which all too clearly show these vehicles barreling along the edge of a pocket wetlands all in one shot, not manipulated by editing as he suggests. Cuts to long shots of bulldozers are clearly shot from the same location. Aerial footage provides additional confirmation in showing the area before bulldozing (January 21, 1998) followed by a dissolve to aerial footage of the same area three weeks later (February 13) which shows bulldozer tracks right through the wetlands with its waters newly muddied.

Haefele may not understand that editing wildlife and bulldozers in a music video of Joni Mitchell's song is not meant to suggest that these images are all in one location. This art form appears in the opening sequence before Ballona Wetlands is even mentioned. Although it is true that the area with dancing herons which he mentioned is protected, the heron hatchlings, whose growth is documented in the film, are indeed gone from the tree in which they were originally filmed, possibly disturbed by developer's road work west of Lincoln, as alleged in a lawsuit. And the snowy white egrets that graced the green grass just West of Lincoln were forced to move on.

One wonders if Haefele even listened to the film. As many as fourteen pro-development advocates provide their points of view. He can count them and even hear several of them speak several times! It was quite a feat for us as filmmakers to find so many pro-development advocates willing to speak when Playa Capital, its lawyer and three consultants, City Councilwoman Galanter,

four people on the board of Friends of Ballona Wetlands, DreamWorks' principals, Southern California Gas Company and Wall St. brokers all declined to be interviewed. The one "Friends" Board member, Mary Thomson, who did agree to participate, presents that group's point of view on an aspect of the development. We had to go out of our way to film a meeting with pro-development advocates and get footage of some of the others mentioned above who spoke at City Council meetings and press conferences.

Critics of the development appearing in the film include Dr. Joy Zedler, author of "Wetlands Restoration", and Law Professor Robert Benson whose remarks can hardly be seen as lending themselves to "propaganda." Since
many propaganda films are government sponsored, Haefele's calling our film "propaganda" is even more inane. If anything, the film presents documented campaign contributions to politicians from vested interests supporting the development and a headline from the "LA Times" referring to Playa Vista's lobbying as one of the costliest.

Haefele's "propaganda" label is ludicrous and demonstrates a serious lack of understanding of documentaries. Having taught communications courses for

many years I have often urged my students to examine what biases they may bring to their considering any media. Since Haefele's readers have been subjected to his numerous distorted pro-Playa pieces it is time to ask why he is in the developers' camp.

It is significant that Haefele does not write about the many problems with Playa Vista covered in the film, including corporate welfare, campaign donations, increase of traffic and smog, loss of open space and yes, Marc, even wetlands (go see for yourself!), toxic leaks (one of which is shown adjacent to the proposed elementary school), subsidence, Wall St. real estate investments in the property, etc.

Haefele's attack has echoes of the campaign to discredit and suppress the film spearheaded by the "Friends"of Ballona Wetlands, a group which settled with the developers, who have gone so far as to contact PBS and even a film

festival urging them not to show the film. These attacks indicate their desperation in not wanting the public to see evidence of toxic leaks at the site and the many other problems plaguing Playa Vista.

We don't know what Haefele is referring to when he mentions a "director's cut." "Update:2000" of "The Last Stand" aired on 25 PBS stations in April and PBS does not air programs which do not include more than one side of an issue. The film has won eight awards and screened at a dozen festivals. Awards include a Cine Golden Eagle, Gold Star Award at World-fest Houston where judgessaid it was a "must see" film and several Best Documentary Awards.

Your readers can tune in to an airing of the updated film on June 30, 10 PM on KLCS 58/37 and come to their own conclusions.

Sheila A. Laffey, Ph.D., Producer, Co-Director, The Last Stand &Mac220; Struggle for Ballona Wetlands and "Update:2000"