Climate change is happening. That’s a fact: sea levels are rising, ice is melting, and dangerous weather patterns are becoming more frequent. But what is there to be done about it? That’s the central questions of the documentary “Before the Flood”, which is directed by Oscar-winning director Fisher Stevens and produced by Leonardo DiCaprio.
“Before the Flood” examines our planet’s ecological nightmare, it looks at our bleak future and, more than everything else, it’s a call to stand up for change.
DiCaprio doesn’t simply pop in and out of the documentary at his convenience, he’s in nearly every scene, speaking with some of the world’s top scientists and the individuals that have the power to do something about climate change, from President Obama to Pope Francis.
He said: “I’ve been incredibly moved by so many climate change documentaries in the past, but I never felt that I saw one that articulated the science clearly to the public, I think people grasp it, but it seems something distant, far off, intangible and almost otherworldly. An individual doesn’t feel like they can make an impact. The journey for me was to try and make a modern-day film about climate change. I’ve been studying this issue for the past 15 years, I’ve been watching it very closely. What’s incredibly terrifying is that things are happening way ahead of the scientific projections, 15 or 20 years ago”.
This proves that “Before the Flood” is more than a ridiculous documentary done by an award-winning actor; it’s the proof that DiCaprio’s heart is in the right place.
We also see how developing communities in places like India are already battling pollution even as their population doesn’t entirely have access to power. Amongst these growing issues, everyone is turning to the U.S. to be an example across the globe, as money continues to be a deciding factor that’s dividing politicians and making widespread change impossible.
But “Before the Flood” isn’t simply interested in showing how terrible everything is. It also does a fantastic job of highlighting solutions, both short-term and long-term.
DiCaprio serves as a suitable guide throughout this all. Moreover, since the production of “Before the Flood” took place during the massive shooting of “The Revenant”, there’s a portion of behind-the-scenes footage from the film as DiCaprio and director Alejandro Gonzalez Iñarritu were forced to move the production from Canada to near the South Pole just to find snow.
And DiCaprio even addresses the large carbon footprint that he himself has left on the planet, admitting that he sometimes questions the morality of what he’s doing.The production of the documentary itself took efforts to offset its carbon footprint during filming, including taking on a voluntary carbon tax.
Climate change is real, and it’s scary. Our first line of defense is an informed public and “Before the Flood” serves as a significant piece of education that will hopefully spur people to enact their own further research. And maybe, just maybe, it will incite some action.
Now, you can watch the full documentary below, courtesy of National Geographic and YouTube.
Credits: Collider
