Issue 22 Voices of JusticeBlog | Cinema CAN change the world
Cinema CAN change the world
Author: Andy PeckPost Date: 10.03.20
Cinema can change the world. Justice is often dependent on which stories we choose to hear and to value – and film can bring stories to the forefront of our collective consciousness. It has an extraordinary power to persuade, to show us new perspectives and shine a light into dark places.
CLIMATE
The Day After Tomorrow (2004) was in many ways the epitome of big, dumb blockbuster entertainment. Starring Dennis Quaid and Jake Gyllenhaal, the film found a group of characters trapped in the cross-hairs of a disastrous global storm. But though the science behind it was effectively nonsense, the story still had an impact on public opinion when it came to a very real and serious issue. Yale researchers found that The Day After Tomorrow had strong influence on awareness of climate change: 21 million US adults saw the film, and 49% of them said they became more concerned about global warming as a result.
Viewers also became more willing to take actions like buying a more eco friendly car, donating and volunteering for the cause, or writing to politicians.
The cause of climate justice was further advanced in 2006 by the release of An Inconvenient Truth, a documentary following US Vice President Al Gore as he campaigned to raise awareness. The film, claimed one climatologist, ‘had a much greater impact on public opinion and public awareness than any scientific paper or report’. In the months following its release, the percentage of Americans attributing global warming to human activity rose from 41% to 50%. More than a decade on, An Inconvenient Truth is still seen as a landmark moment in the climate conversation.
