Before the Flood

Leonardo DiCaprio's documentary on climate change. DiCaprio had been appointed a UN messenger of peace on climate. The documentary follows the journeys made in that role: melting ice in Greenland, forests burned for palm oil in Indonesia, regions of India without access to electricity, and islands like Kiribati at risk of disappearing as sea levels rise. Interviews run between them: conversations with the American president of the time, with scientists, business people and clergy keep the film from being a travelogue. One thing it says directly is why the climate argument is so stuck in America: the campaigns run by the fossil fuel sector to steer public opinion towards doubt, and political funding, are treated in a section of their own. Fisher Stevens directed; Martin Scorsese is among the producers. The music is by Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross, Gustavo Santaolalla and Mogwai. National Geographic released it free online and it reached a wide audience quickly. A good introduction for anyone who wants the broad outline of the subject. For a viewer already versed in it, the film offers nothing new; its real function is carrying known data to a large audience.