Torrice, Andrea. Rising Waters: Global Warming and the Fate of the Pacific Islands. Oley, PA: Bullfrog Films, 2000. 57 min. https://youtu.be/9FGeB8HkTC8.
This documentary treats global warming as an anthropogenic catastrophe in the making. A segment of the film, using archival footage, graphics, and the testimony of university-based climatologists, traces the rise of industrialization and presents the basic relationships between the greenhouse effect, carbon dioxide production, and planetary warming. The film’s main purpose, however, is not to argue the existence of global warming but to explore its imminent impact on Pacific Islanders. Indeed, the strength of this approach to global warming is the human and cultural dimension that this film highlights. Three segments focus on Samoa, Kirabati, and the Marshall Islands. For each nation, the film presents a short look into the traditional cultural life of the islanders. Each is celebrated for its community values and its respectful and reciprocal relationships with the sea and nature more generally. Finally, Rising Tide turns its attention to the global politics surrounding climate change. (Source: Adapted from an H-Net review by Douglas Sackman)
© 2000 Bullfrog Films. Trailer used with permission.
