June 2, 2017
Connect4Climate continues its long-standing partnership with the Cannes Film Festival’s Marché du Film, promoting the Film4Climate initiative and the results of the Film4Climate Global Video Competition with more than 860 videos submitted from 155 countries – in which young people around the world illustrated climate change solutions through their stories and showed how it is ultimately possible to tackle climate change.
Connect4Climate program participated in the 70th edition of the Cannes Film Festival, determined to continue strengthening the work done during the last few years to green the silver screen. Through Film4Climate’s key goals of supporting more sustainable practices in film production and encouraging the inclusion of climate action in content creation, Connect4Climate has been actively encouraging the film Industry to rethink the way they see the complete production process, from the very beginning until the final result.
On May 23rd, Connect4Climate participated in the second edition of the Doc Day, presented by the Marché du Film - with the support of JustFilms -, Ford Foundation and the CNC, and in association with L’OEil d’Or - Documentary Award. It was a day jam-packed with morning and afternoon talks and panels of high-level speakers, including Amos Gitai and other filmmakers from the Cannes Official Selection. All focused on current documentary-related hot topics.
Details of the Film4Climate winners and information were also available at the Doc Corner where the focus is primarily on non-fiction filmmaking.
The Film4Climate Global Video Competition was launched at the Cannes Film Festival last year, on May 16, 2016, at the Plage Royale in a ceremony attended by Lawrence Bender (producer of An Inconvenient Truth, Pulp Fiction), jury member for the competition, among other high-level invitees.
Bender said, “In every country, every city, people have different stories on climate change; there are many stories that can be told. If this worldwide film competition creates a critical mass of ideas and energy, it could help tip the balance in terms of focusing people’s attention.”
The winners were announced at an official awards event ceremony at COP 22, the United Nations Climate Summit in Marrakech, Morocco, in November 2016, in cooperation with the UNFCCC, the Ministry of Environment of Morocco and other prominent partners.
Another striking moment of Connect4Climate’s engagement with the Marché du Film was the tribute put together to celebrate Connect4Climate’s beloved friend Donald Ranvaud, who sadly and unexpectedly passed away last year. At the Doc Corner, Donald’s legacy was celebrated among his Connect4Climate team members and some of his dearest friends. Together, we reminisced about Don’s intensely belief in the power of film to do good and in the perfection of cinematic truths.
Monday, May 22, 2017, 7:30 pm
A decade after “An Inconvenient Truth”, winner of two Oscars at the Academy Awards for best documentary and best song, “An inconvenient sequel: Truth to power” arrives at the French Riviera.
Directed by Bonni Cohen and Jon Shenk, the sequel is a follow-up to the acclaimed 2006 documentary that brought Al Gore´s tireless fight to raise awareness about climate change, its dangers, and threats, into the heart of popular culture.
“An inconvenient sequel: Truth to power” shows Al Gore behind the scenes in private and public, funny and poignant moments, through Greenland, India, Europe, Asia and across the U.S.A.
Speaking to the press at the Cannes Film Festival, the environmental activist said: “The dangers we face from the climate crisis are now more severe than what the scientists predicted. It has gotten worse. But the primary message of the movie is that we now have the solutions available and we can solve this. We are beginning to implement these solutions. But the main challenge is to summon sufficient political will to implement these solutions and that’s why this movie has the message: it´s time for action”.
About Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes Festival is one of the most prestigious events in the film world. The invitation-only festival is held every year in Cannes, Frances, at the Palais des Festivals et des Congrés and presents films of all genres from all around the world, including documentaries. The Cannes Festival was founded in 1946. 2017 was its 70th edition.
Pedro Almodóvar, the Spanish film director, and screenwriter was selected as the President of the Jury for the Festival this year and the highest prize, the Palm d’Or, this year was awarded to “The Square”, by the Swedish Ruben Östlund.
