Film Makers Address the Climate Conundrum

Posted 21 June 2016 by Carol Brighton

Critically acclaimed documentarians are focusing their cameras on what is considered by many as the most gripping issue of our time: Climate Change. The goal of three separate projects is to inspire audiences to respond to the global threat. Two of the productions recently had film crews in Tidewater, while another was just released nationally with a Virginia debut planned in Norfolk this week.

TIME TO CHOOSE Norfolk Premier

Exploring the stark realities of a disrupted climate system as well as the environmental havoc created by the fossil fuel industry in Appalachia, academy award winning filmmaker Charles Ferguson also focuses on the positive and spotlights solutions to the challenge. The documentary TIME TO CHOOSE will premier in Virginia on Wednesday night, June 22 at the Naro Cinema in Norfolk.  According to Ferguson, "the film shows that across the globe, in myriad ways, people are coming together to find and implement solutions.  We’re not too late, and our hope is that TIME TO CHOOSE will help audiences see both the tragedy that is unfolding and the remarkable and innovative ways in which humanity is finding a better way forward.” Leaders from government, academia, industry, and NGOs are featured in the film and include California Governor Jerry Brown;  former U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu, Columbia University’s James Hansen, CEO of Ikea Peter Agnefjall, CEO of Unilever Paul Polman, New York Times best-selling author Michael Pollan, Amory Lovins of the Rocky Mountain Institute and many more. 

Investigating the Security Threat Posed by Climate Change & Sea Level Rise

Earlier this month a crew from the National Geographic's series, Years of Living Dangerously, visited Norfolk Naval Station along with correspondent and former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. The highly acclaimed series employs respected journalists and celebrities to report on a host of complex issues and the very personal stories of those affected by a changing climate. An upcoming episode will document the impact that sea level rise has on U.S. Naval operations. As an icon of the silver screen recognized around the world, Schwarzenegger carries the star power needed to garner public attention that will mobilize action. Regarding his role as a correspondent for the series, he explains, "I have seen the tremendous changes over the last few years; the amount of land that we have lost, the trees that we have lost, the homes that we have lost, lives that have been lost, and it is due to a large extent to global warming." The episode is scheduled to air in November.

The Tidewater Security Project

Another documentary currently in production is the brain-child of award winning producer of the independent film, the Burden. The Burden also relays the threat that reliance on fossil fuels poses to national security. Roger Sorkin's latest project, Tidewater, is the first in a series by the story teller that specifically focuses on the Hampton Roads region. Resilience, adaptation and mitigation are the themes illuminated in the film. Sorkin seeks to engage with the audience to "use the film as a strategic tool to influence smart policy." Noted in a project synopsis, "Tidewater’s premiere will highlight the innovative whole-of-government problem-solving model being pioneered by local leaders. If Hampton Roads succeeds, it will mean success on several levels.  They'll save their homes, schools, businesses, the naval base, and that's no mean feat.  But they'll also create a powerful template for success, a model other regions can use to prepare for and deal with disaster – and more: a model that can demonstrate how people, businesses and government can pull together to solve any complex problem." The release of Tidewater is expected this fall.

Show dates will be posted on social media. Follow on Twitter and/or Facebook.

Read more Tidewater Current Posts on Climate & Clean Energy Solutions:

The Climate Cure: Balancing Earth's Carbon Equilibrium by Transforming a Climate Liability into a Commodity

With the Support of Pharrell, Climate Action is a Hot Topic this Winter

Power Shift: The Clean Energy Revolution - Includes a segment on Solar Ready Vets Training Program in VA

Wave Energy Technology to be Tested in Hampton Roads

Sewing the Seeds of Change: Revolutionary Crop Cultivation in Virginia

Virginia Participates in Pioneering Planning Partnerships - Biophilic and Resilient Cities

Adapting the Built Environment for Sea Level Rise - Amphibious and Floating Architecture