Climate Action
5 Female Environmental Documentary Filmmakers
March 7, 2023
March 8th is a day dedicated to celebrating the achievements of women all over the world. On this International Women’s Day, EARTHDAY.ORG is shining the spotlight on five filmmakers who have produced environmental documentaries, pulling the curtain back and exposing the horrors of the climate crisis.
- Joanna Natasegara
Producer of the Academy Award and BAFTA nominated VIRUNGA, Natasegara is a British filmmaker dedicated to generating social change through her films. In 2013, she founded Violet Films, a production company devoted to projects with social justice at their heart. She is also an ethical consultant, working to maximize the impact film projects can have on the public.
- Leila Conners
Founder and director of Tree Media, a group that works on creating projects addressing the various social and environmental issues plaguing society, Conners is a director committed to educating and informing viewers about what matters. She believes that media is a way to collaborate and share stories, and that is the focal point of her work and company. Her projects include documentaries such as Ice on Fire, We the People 2.0, and the 11th Hour, in addition to short film series such as Green World Rising.
- Olivia Ahnemann
Previously nominated for an Emmy Award for Exceptional Merit in Documentary Filmmaking , Ahnemann is an incredibly talented producer and director, credited for programs for National Geographic, PBS, and Discovery. She also served as a panelist for the 2022 Environmental Film Festival in the Nation’s Capital. Her films devoted to the environmental crisis include The Human Element, The Cove, Racing Extinction, and Youth V Gov.
- Elise Pearlstein
Currently Executive Vice President at This Machine, a filmwork company dedicated to nonfiction programming, Pearlstein is most regarded for her work as a producer on the Emmy winning documentary Food, Inc. She is a member of the Documentary Branch of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences, also known as the Oscars. Other films she has produced include Last Call at the Oasis and This is Climate Change.
- Rebecca Tickell
Child actress turned director and producer, Tickell is fighting climate change one documentary at a time. She is an award winning filmmaker and a dedicated environmental activist. She co-founded Big Picture Ranch, an avocado farm that doubles as a film studio working to combat the climate crisis, with her husband. She has directed and produced numerous documentaries, including Pump, The Big Fix, and, most recently, Kiss the Ground.
These powerful, brilliant women artfully weave the climate crisis into compelling stories that captivate watchers around the world and incite change. They are truly a marvel and deserve our greatest appreciation for all the remarkable work they are doing for our planet. It is our pleasure to honor them and all the other women on this International Women’s Day!
