Academy Award winner Leonardo DiCaprio produced and narrated the upcoming documentary “Ice on Fire,” which highlights a local environmental organization, among other climate change practitioners, that is working to reverse climate change and its damaging effects.
The documentary, which debuted at the Cannes Film Festival on Wednesday, May 22, and will premiere on HBO June 11, touches on the impending devastations climate change will invoke and focuses on what people are doing to stop it. Some of those people include members of the Mendocino-based organization the Redwood Forest Foundation, Inc., according to the non-profit’s press release.
In addition to featuring scientists, innovators, farmers and others from around the globe, the film visits RFFI’s 50,000-acre Usal Redwood Forest and interviews the chief forester, Linwood Gill, who highlights the foundation’s carbon-storage project and reforestation practices. The manager of RFFI’s North Coast Biochar operation, Raymond Baltar, is also featured in the film to discuss removing excess brush to prevent forest fires and convert the eco-waste into carbon-rich biochar soil.
Lin Morgan Barrett, RFFI community development director, said she’s hoping the film will inspire others to take action in reversing the effects of climate change.
“We’re thrilled with the opportunity to be able to get the word out about our projects – reforestation, forest management, basically sustainable forest practices,” she said.
Barret noted that the documentary highlights the frightening effects of climate change and problems at the North Pole, but it also emphasizes those who are helping to curb and reverse the effects through numerous, innovative techniques.
“It’s actually quite technical,” she said of the film, noting the scientific aspects along with the beautiful scenery. “It does urge people to take action.”
“Ice on Fire” is directed by acclaimed director Leila Conners, who has worked on a number of other environmentally-focused documentaries and shorts, such as “The 11th Hour,” which also stars DiCaprio.
“My partners and I made ‘Ice on Fire’ to give a voice to the scientists and researchers who work tirelessly every day on the front lines of climate change,” DiCaprio said in a statement for Warner Media. “We wanted to make a film that depicts the beauty of our planet while highlighting much-needed solutions across renewable energy and carbon sequestration. This film does more than show what is at stake if we continue on a course of inaction and complacency – it shows how, with the help of dedicated scientists, we can all fight back. I hope audiences will be inspired to take action to protect our beautiful planet.”