CARE co-hosts a new documentary showing the human face of climate change, attracting both Danish celebrities and climate change negotiators.
By Troels Kolln
CARE Denmark
Press photographers mobbed Danish celebrities and participants of the climate change conference in Copenhagen walked together down the red carpet Monday to the European premiere of ‘Climate Refugees’ by American filmmaker Michael Nash. The film event, hosted by CARE International and the Tonny Sorensen Foundation, was one of a few showings before its world premiere at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival.
‘Climate Refugees‘ investigates the current and future mass migration of people caused by a changing climate, highlighting ‘the human face of climate change’ through personal stories from places such as Tuvalu, Sudan, Bangladesh and New Orleans, USA. Michael spent two years traveling the globe interviewing scholars, politicians and people impacted by climate change to show how massive continental migration is already underway, and how the lack of natural resources threatens the lives of millions of people.
‘As a filmmaker, I simply wanted to illuminate the human face of climate change,’ Michael said. ‘Before filming, I decided that I wanted to look for the truth, and whatever I found on my travels, I would put in the film. That is what this film reflects – climate change is happening, but together we can fix this problem. And it all starts with holding your politicians responsible. We need to start a movement.’
Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen, known from movies such as ‘Casino Royale’ and ‘Coco Chanel & Igor Stravinsky,’ postponed a trip to Paris to watch the screening. ‘This movie is not about whom to blame for climate change and why it’s happening – but it is about the consequences for human beings. And that’s what it’s all about, ‘he said. ‘I don’t care whether the change in climate is caused by man. It’s changing, and that’s the fact we have to deal with.’
Look into the eyes of those impacted by climate change
The report ‘In Search of Shelter: Mapping the effects of Climate Change on Human Migration and Displacement’ estimates that there may be more than 200 million environmentally-induced migrants by 2050. Robert Glasser, Secretary-General of CARE, warned the audience during the film’s opening speech that while these numbers are overwhelming, hard facts might not be enough to inspire action against climate change. “How do we convince people that they need to help people survive climate change when climate catastrophes are becoming so frequent that people are getting tired of hearing about them,’ he asked. ‘This film can do it by forcing us look into the eyes of the people that are affected by climate change. Only with films like this can we make a difference.’
To learn more about the film, go to www.climate refugees.com.
For more on CARE and climate change, go to www.careclimatechange.org.
CARE International is a leading aid organisation with more than 60 years’ experience fighting global poverty and delivering emergency assistance. In 72 countries, CARE works with the poorest communities to improve basic health and education, enhance rural livelihoods and food security, increase access to clean water and sanitation, and expand economic opportunity. Our long-term development assistance and emergency relief initiatives are currently benefiting about 55 million people around the world.
The Tonny Sorensen Foundation believes in the expansion of creative ideas among many artistic disciplines including: fashion, automotive, performance art, fine art, entertainment and culinary art. Honoring what he loves best, Tonny combined all of these artistic voices into one unified creative planet named Planet Illogica, which is a social networking community that inspires creative minded people to create, participate and contribute.
