There is a message often written on signs displayed at climate marches around the world that reads: "Every disaster movie starts with the government ignoring a scientist." The star-studded Don't Look Up directed by Adam McKay is a satirical film that focuses on those scientists doing their best not to be ignored.
The comedy - which set Netflix viewing records upon its streaming release and is nominated for four Oscars, including Best Picture at the 2022 Academy Awards - uses the threat of a large comet on a collision course with Earth to represent the very real and very urgent threats of the climate crisis. In the film, astronomers are consistently ignored as they try to alert the media or to implore the US president to take action before it's too late.
Perhaps not surprisingly, the film resonated with Greenpeace International co-founder Rex Weyler:
"The film does not set out to articulate a full-system solution or provide action tips for those who might agree with the message. The film is a wake-up call. Films that try to deliver a message can feel self-righteous, but this film avoids that, primarily with humour. I identified with both characters Kate and Dr. Mindy, their frustration at being ignored, and their embarrassment when they lost control or failed to articulate their concern appropriately. I found the final scene heart-wrenchingly beautiful, even as cast against impending disaster."
If you watched Don't Look Up And are looking for more films that engage with the climate crisis or can help you learn more about the environment as well as our relationship to it, here are several options:
Parasite
The 2020 Academy Award Best Picture winner made history when it became the first non-English language film to win Best Picture. Yet the win was also remarkable in being the first winner to tell a story of the impacts of the climate crisis. Centering inequality, the film demonstrates through two families just how the climate emergency not only is exacerbated by the existing social orders but how it affects all areas of life - housing, public health, transportation, to name a few - and comes for the most vulnerable first: truths we are already all too familiar with today.
Mission Blue
The life of the American oceanographer Sylvia Earle is incredible: as a young woman, she started to dive and be part of scientific missions at a time when women had no space for that. She made history with her commitment. She became the first woman to head the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and, in 1998, was named by Time magazine as the first female Hero of the Planet. At 86, Sylvia continues to dive and is an example of commitment and determination for the environmental cause.
Minimalism: a documentary about the important things
If we wanted to be minimalistic, we could describe this movie in one sentence: it is a film about having fewer things. But the documentary is much more than that. It is rich in content and reflections about the movement that shows how we can live with less and, therefore, demand less natural resources from Earth. With less time for your stuff, you have time for what really matters, like family and friends.
Tomorrow has come
Climate change is not just a prediction by scientists. It's a reality for many people around the world. From the young Krikati Indigenous woman who became a volunteer firefighter to protect her People's land, to the small farmer who faced six years of drought in his home state, this film tells the story of Brazilians who have already been affected by the climate crisis.
The Game Changers
The myth of the consumption of animal protein for high physical performance is dismantled in this documentary where Arnold Schwarzenegger tells how his health improved after adopting a plant-based diet. Food for thought (pun intended): even Roman fighters did not eat meat. Analyses based on more than 5000 bones of gladiators indicate they had a plant-based diet. A good opportunity for us to rethink our meat consumption.
Sexy Killer
Sexy Killer is the popular environmental documentary that thrilled Indonesia in 2019, reaching 30 million viewers on YouTube and still being widely discussed today. This film reveals the adverse effects of the coal industry in Indonesia - from mining to shipping and burning it - and also the environment and the political scandal behind it. Why the name Sexy Killer? "Because it's a killer to society but sexy for the politicians".
Chasing Coral
A group of Australian scientists and photographers are diving around the country looking for evidence that global warming is killing coral reefs. Among scientific difficulties and some unforeseen circumstances, the so-called coral bleaching surprises negatively due to the range and mortality of the species. What could seem like a story with a tragic ending turned into a network of solidarity in defense of the oceans. Spoiler: you will cry seeing images of the coral reefs.
Before the Flood
From going on expeditions with scientists uncovering the reality of climate change to meeting with political leaders fighting against inaction, this film shows Leonardo DiCaprio on a journey around the world to witness climate change firsthand and show how disinformation campaigns are orchestrated to confuse the public about the urgency of the growing climate crisis. With unprecedented access to thought leaders around the world, DiCaprio searches for hope in a rising tide of catastrophic news. The carbon emissions from the film were offset through a voluntary carbon tax.
How to change the world
The film tells the story of the founding of Greenpeace, which came from an idea that seemed impossible: a rag-tag group of activists went out on a boat to prevent nuclear weapons testing off the coast of Alaska. The plan did not work, but it drew the world's attention to the protection of the environment and a call for peace.
What are your favorite films and series about the environment? Share with us in the comments below!
