Breathtaking views of nature, relaxing music and excellent cinematography—now, that’s when film becomes art. Former Oregon State Senator Jason A. Atkinson and documentary filmmaker J. Martin teamed up to create a film that doesn’t just take the viewer down the Klamath River; you are immersed in its life.

So much controversy has surrounded the Klamath River Basin—16,000 square miles enveloping one of the longest rivers in the United States—basically boiling down to the question, “Who gets the water?” There are many who need it, but there is only so much.

“Water is the oil of our times,” Atkinson said in a press release. “A limited, precious natural resource. Sadly, the era of water wars has just begun, particularly in the West.”

The majority of the controversy centers around four dams that have been installed along the river, and the effect they have had not only on the environment, but also local human beings as well. A thoughtful warning to care for and cherish the great Klamath River in light of the abuses humans have put on it comes from numerous sources: Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, conservationists, Oregon governors, residents, local Native Americans, fishermen. They warn, but they also speak with great hope that all different types of people can agree to take care of this national treasure.

Two years of filming and 70 interviews has surely paid off in a comprehensive look at the Klamath River Basin situation. One can walk away from this film basking in the beauty of nature, pondering new-found knowledge and a clear personal way to address it. The goal in making A River Between Us is to restore the area and protect it at the federal level, and it seems that the cause is well on its way with 42 different organizations and people from all walks of life teaming together to save this epic river.

A River Between Us was released on Amazon and iTunes in October, and it will hit Netflix by the end of the year.