ASU Origins Project film screenings focus on climate

The Origins Project at Arizona State University will screen two new climate-inspired films and then engage in conversations with leading filmmakers and leading climate experts on April 28 and 29, at Gammage Auditorium on the Tempe campus. The films to be screened are “Before the Flood” and “Salt and Fire.”

“Climate change is inextricably linked to questions of water, from sea level rise to the availability of fresh water,” said Lawrence Krauss, director of the Origins Project. “What better way to introduce these problems than to screen two films by legendary directors that explore these issues in very different ways and then discuss the films with a world-renowned expert on climate issues, and allow audiences to ask questions provoked by the films. It will be an amazing weekend. “ 

“Before the Flood,” a new documentary film featuring Leonardo DiCaprio will air at 7 p.m. April 28. The film also has contributions by several scientists and researchers around the world who talk about the reality of climate change as they witness its effects first hand. After the screening, Krauss will sit down with Fisher Stevens, director of "Before the Food," to talk about the issues raised in the film and answer audience questions.

A new feature film called “Salt and Fire,” which was directed by Werner Herzog, will air at 7 p.m. April 29. "Salt and Fire" is about a scientist who blames the head of a large company for an ecological disaster in South America. After the screening, Kraus will be joined by Herzog, who has been a creative force in film making for the past 40 years, and Jeffrey Sachs, a professor of economics, leader in sustainable development and senior UN advisor. The three of them will talk about issues raised in the film, how to plan for the best future of Earth and take questions from the audience.

“Living in the Southwest people may not be as concerned about sea level rise, but availability of fresh water is going to affect people from developing nations to the first world,” Krauss added. “Climate change is going to impact everyone on Earth one way or another. Fortune favors the prepared mind, which is why the Origins Project is exploring origins of the future as we think about how to mediate or head off these impacts.”

Tickets for the film screenings and discussions can be purchased for individual nights or as a package for both nights. Prices range from $7.50 for individual films to $52 for the package. They can be found on line through Tickemaster.com and at the ASU Gammage Box Office, (480) 965-3434. ASU students can obtain free tickets (two tickets per student ID to be picked up the Gammage box office) for each of these events.