No sugar-coating here
2040 (G, 92mins) Directed by Damon Gameau Reviewed by James Croot ★★★1⁄2
Five years after his expose on ‘‘big sugar’’, Australian film-maker Damon Gameau is back with an even weightier subject.
Worried about what kind of future his 4-year-old daughter, Velvet, will face in just over 20 years’ time, he decides to investigate not only what the year 2040 might look like on Planet Earth, but how we could mitigate the worst effects of climate change.
Rather than hand-wringing and lamenting (or denying) the science that suggests our oceans’ acidity has increased and more intense weather events are taking place each year, Gameau decides to conduct an exercise in what he calls ‘‘fact-based dreaming’’.
Visiting various places around the globe (and acutely aware of the hypocrisy travelling there by plane entails), he looks at projects that exist in some form now that could hold the key to a bright 2040. That includes solar energy microgrids, on-demand driverless vehicles as a replacement for car ownership and marine permaculture.
While some of his solutions aren’t exactly new (and his
surprise at the fact that empowering and educating more women and girls around the world is vital is slightly shocking), there’s plenty to like about Gameau’s light, but sincere approach (as with That
Sugar Film he makes extensive use of computer graphics and humour in delivering his message).
Too many environmental documentaries offer only doom and gloom, or base their ‘‘hope’’ around unsustainable or impractical ideas. Gameau seems to recognise this, suggesting things aren’t going to be easy, climate extremes are going to get worse and not everyone (especially over a certain age) is going to be capable of adjusting.
But while celebrating the environmentally minded ReGeneration, as he calls today’s school-age children, he’s also not afraid to embrace their flights of fancy or contradictions. The kids he talks to want to be able to hear birds singing in the middle of the city, desire clean waterways and as much biodiversity as possible, but they also want a National Hot Dog Day and ‘‘chocolate raining from the sky’’.
Expect this uplifting and engaging documentary to become staple and popular classroom viewing over the next few years.
2040 is due to open in New Zealand cinemas on August 22.