Copenhagen Is...

As the world geared up for the Copenhagen climate change summit, director Gabriel London of Found Object Films talked to a series of people about their hopes for the event. In an increasingly cynical political climate with many people expecting it to be little more than a talking shop, it's interesting to hear these optimistic voices. Several of the speakers are scientists who have been directly involved in collecting data on global warming. One represents a South American rubber collectors' union, and, as such, is able to speak directly for people whose livelihood is threatened in a very immediate way by climate change.

As we meet these people, the occasion is contextualised by footage of the city of Copenhagen itself. This isn't particularly imaginative, resembling a promotional video for the tourist industry, but it's nonetheless effective in creating a sense of place. It also, perhaps inadvertently, creates an interesting contrast between the expensive modern buildings where politicians meet and the forest environment in which the rubber collector goes about his work, thus hinting at some of the political problems which the campaign for action on climate change faces.

What threatens to turn this film into simply a piece of propaganda (not that propaganda is always without artistic merit) is the inclusion of a child speaker in the final scene. Nevertheless, this manages to avoid coming across as mawkish. It's not a film which really says much we haven't heard before, but it's an interesting snapshot of what could - for better or worse - be a pivotal moment in history.

See You in Copenhagen_ Copenhagen Is... from See You in Copenhagen on Vimeo.