One review on 22 Feb 2021

Australia 2019

Running time: 89 mins

2040

Director : Damon Gameau 

Setting: various international
Original language: English
Summary: An investigation into what solutions working today could transform the eco-clim emergency by 2040


Aspect Ratio: 2.35 Widescreen

Colour: Colour

Sound: Dolby digital

Tech Notes: Dolby digital


Film Category

First Seen: Mon 22nd Feb 2021
Catalogued: 22nd Feb 2021

Synopsis

Using a mix of interviews, animations, graphics and live action Damon explores the options for energy, transport and food that could transform our collective carbon and ecological footprint by 2040. The hook being how we are headed in the total wrong direction now and how can he explain this to his 4 year old daughter and what solutions could actually be in place by 2040.

Everything has to be in existence today and just needing mass deployment with a view to a different world when his daughter graduates from college.

Starting and finishing at his home he takes in a range of countries asking children what they want in the future and looking at different technologies and stringing them together with some excellent creative use of visual effects. 

Reviews

by rogerco on Mon 22nd Feb 2021 DVD proj @ home

Is it possible in 19 years

Summary

Avoiding the scary and too much eco-technic porn it manages to be informative and interesting.

Full review

Firstly this is a really well made film - the creative use of visual effects to inform and underline what is being said is the best I have seen on this subject. The lead character/director is engaging and seeks out some interesting possibilities using only what is already available today.

It avoids the pitfall of so many 'eco' films of being preachy and scary, he doesn't downplay the difficulties but makes an honest attempt to find solutions that could work for his daughter's future.

There is a slight whiff of eco-technic porn about some of the ideas - high-tech mass transport, the continuing prevalence of an internet and some shiny new fun gizmos without considering the resource cost implications, but on the whole he digs up some good ideas - micro-grids transforming the domestic energy landscape, communally owned personal transport, greening (plants) of cities by freeing the space taken by private cars, changes to diet, plus the education of women and their equality as a major driver for reducing resource use.

Overall much better than many attempts at this and  probably achievable if it was not for the structural obstacles. System change requires more than simply sharing your energy with your neighbours (try that in the UK and you'll get a ton of regulation and law down on your head unless you also change the system that governs us). 

Is it possible in 19 years? Not without system change first.