Crude Independence

Stanley, North Dakota is a safe and quiet little town where the residents are conservative and simple. In 2006 the United States Geological Survey estimated there to be more than 200 billion barrels of crude oil resting beneath Stanley and other parts of western North Dakota, leaving many people surprised. No one ever expected the small town to have so much to offer. But it didn't take long for oil companies from around the world to descend on Stanley. CRUDE INDEPENDENCE is more about the social aspect of the oil boom. Many residents are reaping the benefits for owning the mineral rights to their land. However, the oil boom has not left a positive mark on everything. For example, the city is seeing more people leave their jobs at hotels, hospitals, and restaurants for higher paying oil jobs. Director Noah Hutton brings entertaining interviews to the big screen, including conversations with the oil workers while at a bar. The film brings to light the story of one of the biggest oil booms in the history of the United States and how it changed the lives of a small town.-L.W.