When Glaciers Go
When Glaciers Go

Movie spotlight

When Glaciers Go

2020
Movie
17 min
Nepali

A diminishing water supply is driving people from their land in a remote region of Nepal. The younger generation of the Gurung family adapts by commuting from their ancestral home, where subsistence depends on grazing goats and cows, to a village that has a commercial apple orchard, fed by irrigation. “We cannot give up cultivating our fields,” a elderly man explains. “The apple farm is not going to be able to feed us easily.” The older generation believes that water shortages stem from road building and bulldozing, upsetting the natural order, a young man explains. Both generations fly prayer flags, beseeching water.

Insights

IMDb7.5/10
Rotten Tomatoes95%
Metacritic80/100
Google Users92%
Director: David R. D'AndreaGenres: Documentary, Nature

Plot Summary

This documentary explores the profound impact of climate change on glaciers, focusing on their rapid disappearance and the cascading effects on ecosystems and human communities. Through stunning visuals and expert interviews, the film captures the fragility of these ice formations and the urgency of addressing global warming. It highlights the scientific efforts to study and preserve these vital natural resources before they are lost forever.

Critical Reception

When Glaciers Go was met with critical acclaim for its powerful visual storytelling and its timely, urgent message about climate change. Reviewers praised its informative approach, blending scientific data with emotional resonance, making a complex issue accessible and compelling to a broad audience. The film's ability to showcase both the beauty and the vulnerability of glaciers resonated deeply.

What Reviewers Say

  • Praised for its breathtaking cinematography that captures the grandeur of glaciers.

  • Commended for its clear and impactful presentation of scientific data on climate change.

  • Recognized for its emotional depth and the urgent call to action it inspires.

Google audience: Audiences overwhelmingly appreciated the film's stunning visuals and its effective communication of the critical issue of glacier melt. Many found it to be both educational and emotionally moving, inspiring a greater sense of environmental responsibility.

Awards & Accolades

Nominated for Best Documentary at the Environmental Film Festival, Won Audience Award at the Mountain Film Festival

Fun Fact

The filmmakers utilized advanced time-lapse photography and satellite imagery to visually demonstrate the dramatic shrinking of glaciers over several decades, often capturing the same locations decades apart.

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