The idea for Earth Day was birthed by the hippie movement that dates back to the 60s. More than 6 decades later, it is grounded in science as much as in ideology. Recent years have witnessed an all-time high in climate activism and awareness and so, 22nd of April i.e. Earth Day is celebrated now more than ever before.
This popularity comes simultaneously with that of documentary filmmaking, showing the parallel consequences of cultural and political trends today. We’ve seen several award-winning films in recent years that cast light on the problems threatening our environment the most, covering land over 30,000 km below the ocean to the one we walk on every day.
Here are our top picks:
Seaspiracy (2021)
Seaspiracy | The eye-opening documentary makes you reconsider your actions with statistics and facts relating to the mistreatment of oceans
Back in 2014, director Ali Tabrizi and his team sought to inspire people to be considerate towards animals with a documentary titled Cowspiracy, which kickstarted a massive veganism trend. 6 years later, they’ve returned with an even bigger feature-length project, with all cameras pointing towards ocean-life. From the dumping of plastics to unsustainable fishing to unimaginable exploitation to cater to a year-long seafood supply, Seaspiracy covers it all. This piece of art really
Ice on Fire (2019)
Ice on Fire | the documentary begs one question: is it game over for us, or game on against climate change?
In this documentary, actor-cum-climate-champion Leonardo DiCaprio teams up with director Leila Connors to offer an alarming exploration of the Arctic thawing and how that could spell out global catastrophe in coming years, especially if we continue pursuing inaction. The film covers witness statements from progressive scientists and activists from around the world. It also covers amazing innovations catering to carbon capture.
2040 (2019)
2040 | Gameau believes that together we can save the world – and so should we
Started as an environmental passion project to make the world a better place for his daughter, director Damon Gameau entrances viewers in a discussion on what the current climate catastrophe means for the world, as well as the worst apocalyptic outcomes of the issue. Despite the seriousness of the topic, however, he manages to keep the tone surprisingly upbeat throughout the film. Far from being interested in outlining the grim side of the issue, he covers eco-friendly measures that can save the Earth. All in all, he
Wrapping It Up
The sooner we realize the dire the condition our planet is in, the sooner we can start working on making it better for us, as well as future generations. After all, nothing is impossible if you try hard enough.
