Yet the corporate sponsorship also created difficulties, Knight notes. Pro-dam advocates may have refused to be interviewed because of the Patagonia branding, and Knight worries that there are film festival or television opportunities they are missing because of the sponsorship. “It’s kind of this weird red flag that makes it feel more like advocacy than just a straight documentary; but I really think we’re going to see this more often, where companies who care about these things are going to start funding films.” Still, Chouinard was able to place an op-ed in The New York Times when the film was released, advocating for the removal of “deadbeat dams,” those that have less value than the river ecosystems they disrupt. The filmmakers were also able to premiere the film at the South By Southwest Film Festival, where it won an audience choice award. And the film has picked up awards at the Environmental Film Festival, the International Wildlife Film Festival and Mountainfilm, among others. - See more at: http://www.pdnonline.com/features/DamNation-Documents--11635.shtml#sthash.EcSIXqVb.dpuf