WePresent commissions ‘Overheated’ documentary as part of Billie Eilish-fronted climate festival at O2 in London
Billie Eilish, Vivenne Westwood & Vanessa Nakate lead a cast of high-profile activists lending their voices to raise those of the indigenous communities on the frontline of the crisis
(Poster for Overheated documentary, WePresent by WeTransfer)
London, UK - 10 June, 2022 - WePresent, the digital arts platform of WeTransfer today share the exclusive online premiere of ‘Overheated’, a documentary film that explores climate anxiety currently spreading across the world, and the determination of today’s leading activists who are intent on using their influence to turn angst into action.
Launching alongside the Overheated Event at the O2 Arena, the film features Billie Eilish, Tori Tsui, Ibeyi, Samata, Maggie Baird, Yungblud, Vanessa Nakate, Girl in Red, Finneas, Samata, Emily Eavis and Vivienne Westwood, and will be screened at the 02 Cineworld for 6 nights, alongside Billie Eilish’s World Tour. The documentary is presented by WeTransfer and will stream exclusively on their digital arts platform WePresent for the first 72 hours, from the live date on 10th June, and will then appear on the Overheated channels. It will also appear at Glastonbury festival.
Directed by Yassa Khan, the 40 minute documentary showcases the beauty and fragility of the natural world, and takes audiences on a kaleidoscopic visual journey through the minds of some of the most prominent figures in Music, Fashion, and Climate Activism - to galvanize action, inspire hope and drive change in the face of a critically overheating planet.
Central to the film are the voices who represent the frontlines of climate change: indigenous communities. The documentary highlights the inescapable reality that indigneous people are the most acutely impacted by the climate crisis - yet exist as the most powerful actors in the fight against it. Through their deep knowledge of the environment, indigenous communities have developed a priceless understanding of the natural world which has granted them the most powerful relationship with the environment that we know today - and an understanding of how to manage the challenges we currently face.
The film features the Waorani tribe from theAmazon rainforest &Sofia Jannok of the Sámi people of Sápmi, who speak of the loss of indigenous knowledge and habitats - despite protecting and nurturing over 80% of the world’s biodiversity, they are amongst the 5% of indigenous people living across the globe. It also includes Daniella Ingabire from Burundi, one of the African nations hit hardest by flooding and the effects of the crisis.
The film opens with one poignant question asked by Billie Eilish herself: are we doing enough? The answer is one which plays on all of our minds, but this film instills us with a sense of hope that inspires change. ‘Overheated’ is a rallying message of hope that aims to spark action in the generation that will inherit this planet, and it shares the incremental changes that we can make in our lives together. If we all do something, no matter how small, our actions will gather pace and become a tidal wave of collective change. If we all unite, then our power, impact and influence has no bounds.
The film is Executive Produced by Naza Alakija, Founder of Sage Foundation and Senior Advisor at UNICEF; Mike Malak of the newly founded Soliman Foundation, Maggie Baird ofSupport + Feed and Billie Eilish.
Naza Alakija, Executive Producer - Founder, Sage’s Foundation, “This documentary rallies some of the world’s most prominent figures in music, fashion and climate activism, but more importantly it amplifies the voices from the frontlines of climate change, who too often go unheard. Indigenous people protect and nurture over 80% of the world’s biodiversity, and yet they only make up 5% of the world’s population. They understand, know, and protect nature better than anyone else. This film is an opportunity to share their stories, as ultimately storytelling is the most powerful tool that we have to spark empathy, generate hope and drive lasting change. We are entering into a watershed moment for our planet's future, and this film aims to make us think deeply about our place in the fight against climate change - and to ultimately transform our compassion into action.”
Watch the documentary and read the Maggie Baird interview about the film on WePresent
About WeTransfer
WeTransfer streamlines the workflow process for millions of creative professionals. Its suite of creative productivity tools make it easy to collaborate, share and deliver work. WeTransfer has more than 87 million monthly active users in 190 countries.
As a certified B Corporation™, WeTransfer has long been a champion of using business as a force for good. Since its founding in 2009, WeTransfer has donated up to 30% of its advertising real estate to raise awareness for artists, creative work, and the world’s most pressing issues.
About WePresent
WePresent is WeTransfer’s digital arts platform, acting as the company’s cultural torchbearer to a monthly audience of 3 million in 190 countries. Collaborating with emerging young talent to renowned artists such as Marina Abramovic, Riz Ahmed, FKA twigs or David Sedaris, WePresent showcases the best in art, photography, film, music, literature and more, championing diversity in everything it does.
The platform’s commissions range from editorial features to films, illustrations, photography series, events, exhibitions and social media activations, with an aim to offer a fresh take on the magic and mystery of creative ideas.
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