Director: Jon Shenk
Talent: Mohamed Nasheed
Release Date: March 30th
This enthralling documentary traces Mohamed Nasheed’s struggle to bring democracy to the Maldives, following thirty years of tyrannical rule under Maumoon Abdul Gayoom, under whose command Nasheed himself suffered torture and imprisonment. Once elected President, Nasheed commits himself to the brave resolve of tackling climate change, a particularly urgent cause since his islands are rapidly submerging. His approach is endearingly unorthodox: he likens global warming to a Nazi invasion, and conducts the world’s first underwater press-conference to ram home his point. All comes to a head at the Copenhagen summit of 2009, when, against all odds, a global compromise on carbon emissions is reached. Nasheed’s plight is inspiring and in the end very moving. The fact that he was ousted from office in a military coup in February lends a terrible poignancy. A must-see.
Words: Sam Coll
