Rimini is just one of the many cities worldwide that will be linking up with New York this evening to show a special Global Premier screening of the new film The Age of Stupid, directed by Franny Armstrong – whose documentaries include McLibel (credited with helping effect a sea-change of opinion about the American fast-food giant, resulting in, amongst other things, a change in legislation in the uk), Baked Alaska, and Drowned Out.
The Age of Stupid - a call to action on climate change
The film is an important part of the campaign launched by a wide coalition of activists to urge the introduction of real and effective measures at the UN climate change conference to be held in Copenhagen this December.
The film, which has been described by the UK’s Guardian newspaper as ‘the first succesful dramatisation of climate change to hit the big screen’ (the Ecologist said ‘it knocks the spots of An inconvenient truth), stars Pete Postlethwaite as an isolated survivor of climate change in 2055 who looks back and wonders why we didn’t do anything when we had the chance to stop it, back in 2009!.
The film takes an apocalyptic glance at the earth’s future, but, according to the climate change supervisor on the film’s production team, renowned scientific author Mark Lynas, it’s a far cry from Hollywood action films like The Day after tomorrow. The film’s narrative is based on mainstream science predictions.
One of the great things about the film is that it is a call to action, and offers various ways to get involved – something which perhaps was lacking in the hugely influential Al Gore movie An inconvenient truth. The premiere itself is a good example, with a global network being established by word of mouth and online promotion. Just a quick look at the sites Age of Stupid and its sister site Not Stupid offers a wide range of information and suggestions on how you can get involved.
The first step, if you’re in Rimini, is to head down to the Cinema Teatro Tiberio in the Chiostro of the church of San Giuliano, via San Giuliano 16.
The show broadcast tonight will also include interviews with the film’s cast, and live performances from the likes of Radiohead’s Thom Yorke.