EE British Academy Film Awards 2022 – Richard Curtis on Climate Change

Fact & Fiction

RICHARD CURTIS IS A BAFTA-WINNING WRITER, DIRECTOR, HUMANITARIAN AND A PASSIONATE ADVOCATE FOR MAKING MORE FILMS, GAMES AND TELEVISION PROGRAMMES TACKLING SUSTAINABILITY AND CLIMATE CHANGE.

"This is the moment to make things about climate. It's worth the world to try." – Richard Curtis

BAFTA/Jamie Simonds

If ever there was a need to change a narrative with global implications then now is the time for sustainability and climate action. Film, games and television can play their part in ensuring this message is driven home to the public not just through documentaries or current affairs programming but through all genres.

This was the message from writer-director Richard Curtis in an address given at a Project Everyone panel held at COP26 in November 2021. Curtis is a key voice from the screen industries highlighting the impact of climate change and has long been a supporter of albert, the leading screen industry organisation for environmental sustainability, which is now officially part of BAFTA.

BAFTA

Curtis revealed how great films had impacted his understanding of the world, noting how The China Syndrome (1979) had “nailed me on the subject of nuclear power,” while Ken Loach’s Raining Stones (1993) had taught him “more about the texture and reality of poverty than every article in the Guardian.” He now thinks it’s time that film, games and television did the same for climate change.

“This isn’t about preaching,” he added. “I suspect it’s not even about raising awareness – we might be beyond that now... We need to inspire action and innovation by making it dramatic and interesting. We need to show the terrible price of climate change but also the success stories, so people really see how change can happen... I truly believe every genre has its role... My motto has always been: to make things happen, you have to make things. And this is the moment to make things about climate. It’s worth the world to try.”

By Toby Weidmann