Love Letter to the Earth

'LAUDATO SI' FILM RELEASED ON WOLD ANIMAL DAY, 4TH OCTOBER 2022

Photos courtesy of the Laudato Si' Movement

Following Pope Francis landmark encyclical letter of 2015, on ecology, creation and climate change which he addressed to every person in the world, a new film, 'The Letter: A message for our Earth' has brought it all to life and just been released free on YouTube for everyone to view. The joint project between Off the Fence Productions (behind the Oscar-winning documentary 'My Octopus Teacher') and the Laudato Si' Movement, held its premiere before church leaders, scientists and ambassadors to the Holy See at the Vatican on 4th October 2022, the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, patron saint of ecology - after which it was released to the world. The premiere also symbolically took place on the same day as the Holy See's official entry into the landmark Paris agreement on climate change.

Emmy winning film director Nicholas Brown tells 'The Letter' in cinematic style through the eyes of five people from different corners of the world who are living the environment and climate crisis on the front lines. By telling their stories they become representatives of the voice of nature and wildlife, the voice of the poor, the voice of the youth and the voice of the Indigenous. They include Greg Asner and Robin Martin, biologists studying coral reefs in Hawaii; Arouna Kande, a climate refugee in Senegal; Ridhima Pandey, a youth climate activist from India; and Cacique Odair Dada Borari, an environmental defender and leader of the Maro Indigenous territory in the Brazilian Amazon.

The film also features exclusive footage from their private audiences with Pope Francis, during which they shared their personal stories and Cardinal Raniero Cantalamessa, preacher of the Papal household also has some very powerful messages towards the end of the film. The Pope has already spoken out about how humanity is a 'moral obligation' to fight climate change and the film sees morality and the conscience of individuals spreading compassion and responsibility (as opposed to accumulation of possessions for self), which provide a way forwards for us each to have hope for our planet. This is a deeply moving and inspiring film for everyone who cares about the earth and all who live on it.

You can watch the film below:-