Disruption
Interruption begins with serene archival footage from the Apollo 8 lunar mission, showing the Earth rising above the lunar horizon, before a sharp transition to modern day images of extreme storms and ensuing devastation. The city was reduced to rubble, streets were flooded and buildings were on fire. “The world isn’t over yet,” the title card says somberly. “But the world as we know it has it.”
Filmed 100 days before the People’s Climate March in New York City on September 21, 2014, the film serves as a cautionary countdown to inspire audiences to take action on climate change. Viewers were taken to the People’s Climate Mobilization Center, a New York-based office space where organizers and activists worked to ignite the largest climate rally in history. Their main goal is to get the attention of world leaders ahead of a major UN climate meeting to draw global attention to existing and future threats posed by changing weather patterns.
Organizers cite historic movements like women’s liberation and civil rights as key influencers in their decision to stage the march, and they believe in the power of people to come together for a common cause, even in the digital age. Climate change experts, from authors and academics to scientists and community organizers, gave viewers a history lesson on each topic and made it clear that weather patterns are a global concern. Respondents urged the expulsion of big corporations such as oil companies and other resource-draining businesses, and warned that protecting our natural resources is a long-term investment worth more than any money.
Finally, the filmmakers issued a final call to action, encouraging those concerned about the environment to join their movement while “the world is watching”. With stunning cinematography, archival footage, and passionate testimonials, Disruption is as much insight into a bleak future as it is a motivating look at how to improve it.
