Premiering on National Geographic this October, a documentary feature, The Last Ice chronicles the Inuit communities fighting to protect a rapidly changing arctic and keep their culture alive.
What’s Happening:
- Scientific projections forecast the total disappearance of summer sea ice in the Arctic — the critical cooling system of our planet — by as early as 2040. The Last Ice tells the story of the Inuit communities fighting to protect the rapidly disappearing Arctic that has been their home for centuries.
- Filmed over four years and featuring interviews with Inuit community leaders, traditional hunters, activists and youth, The Last Ice has screened at film festivals around the world, including Movies that Matter and Mountainfilm. Directed by Scott Ressler and executive produced by Dr. Enric Sala, National Geographic Explorer-in-Residence and founder of National Geographic Pristine Seas, the feature doc will premiere on National Geographic Channel this October in 172 countries and 43 languages.
- As the sea ice between Canada and Greenland melts, the outside world sees unprecedented opportunity. Oil and gas deposits, faster shipping routes, tourism and fishing all provide financial incentive to exploit the newly opened waters. But for more than 100,000 Inuit who live in the Arctic, on and around the frozen ocean, an entire way of life is at stake. Development here threatens to upset the balance between their communities, land and wildlife, leaving the future of this region and their culture increasingly uncertain. Today, Inuit in Canada and Greenland are once again coming together, fighting to protect what will remain of their homeland as the ice melts. The question is, will the world listen?
- The feature documentary is part of a global, cross-platform celebration of the work of National Geographic Pristine Seas, a project of the National Geographic Society that aims to help protect the ocean’s last wild places. Cross-platform content includes the world premiere of the one-hour special PRISTINE SEAS (wt) this September, which takes a comprehensive look at the ocean conservation program founded by Sala in 2008 that through more than 30 expeditions has helped inspire the protection of more than 5 million square kilometers of ocean in 22 protected areas. From the coral reefs of Palau to the icebergs of the Russian Arctic to the kelp forests of the Juan Fernandez Islands, the special follows Sala and his team of marine biologists, explorers and filmmakers as they travel the globe in a race to save our ocean.
- National Geographic Magazine will also highlight Pristine Seas’ invaluable work in its upcoming September issue. Featuring Sala’s iconic photography, the story will examine Pristine Seas’ ambitious new goal: to help world leaders protect 30 percent of the world’s ocean by 2030, action that would not just sustain biodiversity but also boost fish stocks and help stabilize the climate.
- Lastly, National Geographic is also releasing Sala’s latest book, The Nature of Nature, on August 25. The book makes a compelling case for why protecting nature is our best health insurance, why it makes economic sense and why it is our moral imperative. Once we appreciate how nature works, Dr. Sala asserts, we will understand why conservation is economically wise and essential to our survival.
What They’re Saying:
- Executive Producer, Dr. Enric Sala: “The melting of the Arctic sea ice has profound consequences on all levels — from local to global and ecological to cultural. My hope with The Last Ice is to shine a light on the resilient Inuit communities who are fighting against climate change, as their livelihood and culture are threatened by the dramatically transforming Arctic.”
- Carolyn Bernstein, Executive Vice President, Global Scripted Content and Documentary Films at National Geographic Partners: “National Geographic is deeply committed to inspiring and informing people about the importance of protecting our planet. We are thrilled to showcase the work of Dr. Enric Sala, one of the foremost champions of our natural world, and share with our viewers this crucial mission and the important stories of the Inuit communities in The Last Ice.”