It means the world to us: films and docu-dramas to watch out for this World Environment Day

Sheetal

“The earth is what we all have in common” – Wendell Berry, American novelist

With a common global theme, Only One Earth, we celebrate World Environment Day 2022 today. Sweden is hosting this year’s official event to bring the world together in order to save nature and life. As nations are doing their bit for peace and prosperity of the planet, we look at the artiste community’s contribution towards the environmental cause.

Since visual medium is the best bet towards creating a movement, we list the films one can watch this World Environment Day.

The fauna part

Sherni: As forest officer Vidhya Balan in this realistic drama not just battles social barriers of patriarchy but also brings out the man-animal conflict into the spotlight. It depicts the animal’s (here a lioness) unpredictable nature and how the inhabitants of forests are vulnerable to the predator. It also highlights that to live in harmony with animals is possible only if humans are willing to go an extra mile instead of hunting the hunter.

Haathi Mere Saathi: The original Tamil film, Kaadan, (Aranya in Telugu) was dubbed in Hindi and released on OTT as Haathi Mere Saathi. Both Kaadan and Aranya mean forest and the movie is a true-blue environmental film signifying the deep and strong bond between humans and animals. It stars Rana Daggubati, Vishnu Vishal (Tamil and Telugu), Pulkit Samrat (Hindi), Shriya Pilgaonkar, and Zoya Hussain.

Junglee: Directed by American film director and producer Chuck Russell, it is about saving wildlife especially an elephant sanctuary from international poachers. Another threat to the ecosystem!

Doomsday dramas and more

Don’t Look Up: Environment activist Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence-starrer Don’t Look Up is an entertaining apocalyptic comedy but with a powerful message on climate calamities. Earth is the metaphor for climate change. The film and the actors do warn about the repercussions of the damage to the environment. Leornado earlier did a documentary on climate change, titled Before the Flood, which is an account of dramatic changes around the world occurring in real time when it was shot.

Against the Ice: Netflix’s latest offering, which stars Nikolaj Coster-Waldau and Joe Cole, is shot in picturesque Greenland and Iceland. Based on a true story, this historical-survival film takes the viewers on a nail-biting journey amidst the most unforgiving environment. A peek into the future when earth turns its back towards mankind if we are not careful enough!

Rewarded for the cause

Kadvi Hawa: The drama film got a special mention in National Film Awards of the year 2017. It has Sanjay Mishra in the titular role along with Ranvir Shorey and Tillotama Shome. It is based on the drought-prone Bundelkhand region and the vanishing villages from coastal Odisha. Another drama, Turtle, directed by Dinesh S Yadav, talks about water crisis. With Mishra playing the lead role, it went on to win the National Award for the Best Rajasthani Film in 2019.

He said, “Today mothers give a bottle of water to children for school, but we must be ready for a time when one has to ration it. Many cities are suffering from water shortage; the threat is real.”

Watch out for…

Kaun Kitney Pani Mein
Jal
Irada
Bhopal Express
Kiss the Ground
Seaspiracy
Cowspiracy: The Sustainibilty Secret
My Octopus teacher
The Ivory Game

sheetal.dadhwal@tribunemail.com