Cannes premiere for major climate change documentary featuring Orkney
A major documentary on climate change, featuring Orkney’s pioneering marine energy work, is set to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival next week.
Ice on Fire has been produced by Leonardo DiCaprio, and is also narrated by the actor, who has a strong interest in climate change and ecological issues.
Directed by Leila Conners, of US based Tree Media, the documentary will air on the HBO channel in the USA this June.
Ice on Fire asks whether humanity can now reverse climate change, highlighting the critical impact that rising global temperatures and climate instability are having on the planet.
While delivering a stark message on the scale and severity of the climate challenge, the film also has a hopeful message, exploring the efforts being made around the world to bring CO2 out of the atmosphere and pave the way for a reduction in global temperatures.
Ms Conners and the documentary’s director of photography, Harun Mehmedinovi, filmed the Orkney segment of Ice on Fire in 2017, focusing on Orbital Marine Power s tidal turbine and the work of the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC).
Filming here was supported by the Digital Media Orkney Project, which is funded by LEADER and co-managed by Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Orkney Islands Council.
Ms Conners said: “Orkney was an incredible location, and the renewable energy technologies in Orkney are unparalled, truly. We had a very good shoot on board the SR2000 with James Murray and Chris Milne of Orbital Marine Power, and Neil Kermode was kind enough to give us a tour of EMEC, a very rational and good idea to help new tidal technologies get started. As such, we were impressed with the support for tidal which can be such a powerful addition to solving climate disruption.
“Thanks also to Orcadians for their kind hospitality and to Dave Flanagan for his support in getting the film shot in Orkney.
Ice on Fire will premiere at the Grand ThÈ‚tre LumiËre, Cannes, on the evening of May 22.
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