Why the Take One Action Film Festival makes essential viewing ahead of COP26

Glasgow is about to roll out the green carpet to welcome delegates from all over the world for the delayed COP26 summit. These UN politicians supposedly dedicated to saving the world from environmental disaster could do worse than check out the Take One Action climate change film festival ahead of touching down in Scotland.

The 14th edition of the festival features over 20 thought-provoking documentaries, accessible online or via physical screenings in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Inverness and Aberdeen.

The opening film Living Proof: A Climate Story is a textured portrait of Scotland’s knotty relationship with its ruggedly beautiful but resource-rich landscape, inventively told using archive footage from the National Library.

The closing film is Joel Bakan and Jennifer Abbott’s follow-up to notorious 2003 doc The Corporation which persuasively argued that capitalist companies essentially behave like psychopaths.

Their new film The New Corporation: The Unfortunately Necessary Sequel examines how corporations are opportunistically rebranding as socially-conscious businesses.

Before the global summit, then, a truly global film festival. And one that should be vital viewing for COP26 delegates.

Tamara Van Strijthem, Executive Director of Take One Action, says: “After so many months apart, we are excited and grateful to be inviting audiences to celebrate the power of community and connection through world-changing cinema.

“COP26 in November represents such a crucial moment for our planet’s future and our programme offers a much-needed opportunity to pause and reflect – and to question just how we’ve arrived at the topsy-turvy reality we call our own. 

“To truly build back better, we need to both engage with and dream up different realities.

“Our excitingly diverse selection of documentaries, and the audience conversations we nurture, can inspire our way into a new story – one that centres care, community, equity, accountability and sustainability.”

All screenings are available on a pay-what-you-can basis, both in person or online, across all venues.

Take One Action Film Festival 2021, September 22-26, then touring. www.takeoneaction.org.uk