The Urgency of Now
Screening: Friday, 9/27 @ 10:00am | Run Time: 26 min
Directed by KC Schulberg
Synopsis
A groundbreaking 30-minute documentary, The Urgency of Now, focuses on Hurricane Ian and the impacts of climate change in Southwest Florida. The film is produced and directed by environmental activist K.C. Schulberg, a previous Collier County Waterkeeper, who has more than 30 years of film and television experience. The editor, videographer, and codirector for the work is Martin Reif-Beck. Filming The Urgency of Now.
“Florida is particularly susceptible to what is happening in the world at present and is therefore a poster child for climate change,” says Schulberg, who channels many of his talents toward advocacy for water conservation and social justice.
“It was a challenging topic to cover in only 30 minutes,” he adds. As the film’s length allowed for only a few solutions to be broached, Schulberg admits it is more of “a wake-up call or a call to action.”
While on the festival circuit, Schulberg realized the film’s message was especially resonating with young people, and he excitedly relays there is evidence a global youth movement related to climate change is actively taking place.
Director Statement
Schulberg is a noted entrepreneur and entertainment executive with extensive experience on both sides of the Atlantic. He has worked on more than 200 movies, miniseries and movies for television, many during his ten-year term at Hallmark Entertainment. Schulberg held a number of senior level positions at Hallmark, including Worldwide Production Supervisor and Sr. Vice President Worldwide Marketing & Communications. Schulberg crafted Hallmark Entertainment's corporate logo and the international and domestic marketing campaigns for the company's production slate of 60-80 films per year.
I am very concerned we are not tackling the climate change crisis with sufficient urgency. This little doc and its title could not be more timely. Here, at ground zero for climate change in Southwest Florida, we address warming water, scorching temperatures, sea level rise, flooding, virulent hurricanes, changing precipitation cycles, coral reef destruction, the need for natural infrastructure, environmental justice, and youth engagement, among other topics. And we reference forest fires and drought in the opening montage. These are all now daily headlines worldwide and here in SWFL.
KC Schulberg