Coming off the People’s Choice Documentary Award at the Toronto International Film Festival, The Island President will be getting a limited release this month. Directed by Jon Shenk, the film tells the story of Maldives President Mohamed Nasheed, who is forced to protect his land from the rising sea level. I know the fact that they cleared 14 Radiohead songs for the soundtrack will be a big selling point for some, but it looks like a gripping, fascinating portrayal of a man dedicated to his job. I personally can’t wait to check it out. See the trailer below via Apple.
Synopsis:
Jon Shenk’s The Island President tells the story of President Mohamed Nasheed of the Maldives, a man confronting a problem greater than any other world leader has ever faced–the literal survival of his country and everyone in it. After bringing democracy to the Maldives after thirty years of despotic rule, Nasheed is now faced with an even greater challenge: as one of the most low-lying countries in the world, a rise of three feet in sea level would submerge the 1200 islands of the Maldives enough to make them uninhabitable. The Island President captures Nasheed’s first year of office, culminating in his trip to the Copenhagen Climate Summit in 2009, where the film provides a rare glimpse of the political horse-trading that goes on at such a top-level global assembly. Nasheed is unusually candid about revealing his strategies–leveraging the Maldives’ underdog position as a tiny country, harnessing the power of media, and overcoming deadlocks through an appeal to unity with other developing nations. When hope fades for a written accord to be signed, Nasheed makes a stirring speech which salvages an agreement. Despite the modest size of his country, Mohamed Nasheed has become one of the leading international voices for urgent action on climate change.
The Island President hits theaters March 28th, 2012.