Films / Movies / Films & Videos

Before the Flood

by Jennie Richards · Published November 2, 2021 · Updated November 2, 2021

The documentary Before The Flood is a riveting account of the dramatic changes now occurring around the world caused by climate change. Produced by National Geographic, directed by Academy Award®-winning filmmaker Fisher Stevens, narrated by environmental activist Leonardo DiCaprio–and two-years in the making–the film follows Leonardo DiCaprio’s 2014 appointment as United Nations Messenger of Peace with a special focus on climate change. The documentary takes the viewer to five continents and the Arctic to witness climate change firsthand. DiCaprio has unprecedented access to thought leaders around the world to gain first-hand accounts by climate scientists, political leaders, environmentalists, university professors, and climate researchers, that all converge in this film to reveal the reality of climate change. The film exposes the disinformation campaign orchestrated by conservative special interest groups and the fossil fuel companies themselves who have worked for decades to dismiss climate change and confuse the public about the urgency of our climate crisis.

Before The Flood inspires us to think about how our own actions impact the planet and shows ways we can have a more positive impact. It urges us to contact our elected officials and ask them to support alternative energy sources and renewable energy. And it urges us to help mitigate climate change by changing our diet from an animal-based one to a plant-based diet, since farming animals for food is one of the biggest causes of climate change.

“We need everyone to demand bold action from their political leaders and to elect representatives who have their best interests at heart, not the interests of corporations to perpetuate a cycle of greed and destruction.” ~ DiCaprio

“This documentary shows how interconnected the fate of all humanity is – but also the power we all possess as individuals to build a better future for our planet.”

Download the Discussion Guide PDF

More about the film on National Geographic

Ways to Take Action

Film Premier: 2016

Film Length: 1 Hour / 35 Minutes

Watch the Film

Watch on Amazon

Watch on iTunes

Watch on Google Play

Quotes from the Film

“From a very young age, I became fascinated about all of these different species that had become extinct. All these different animals. I remember the anger I felt, how these explorers and settlers would just wipe out entire species and decimate the environment, forever. The difference now is we are knowingly doing it, and on a much larger scale.”

“I don’t want to be on a planet without these animals.”

“In order to power the needs of society for the 21^st Century, we are going beyond fossil fuels, we starting to use very risky, very extreme new sources – like mountain top removal for coal; fracking for natural gas; offshore drilling for oil; and tar sands, which is the most devastating form of producing fossil fuels – they take away massive forests, the waters and streams are poisoned, and it requires a huge amount of energy for transportation just to get it to us.”

“Suncor, Exxon and Shell – are producing tar sand oil and decimating forests across Canada and the northern U.S.”

“All of our modes of transportation, the way we build our cities, the way we produce our foods, almost everything we do today releases carbon dioxide and that leads to climate change.”

“Because of the amount of CO2 released, our polar icecaps are melting, the seas are rising, there will be more dangerous weather patterns – floods, wildfires, droughts. It all is happening right now.”

“If you want something you can do, without appealing to any higher authority, such as the government … I can’t think of an easier ‘out’ than changing your diet. You can start tonight.”

“Let’s face it, it is fairly easy to switch your diet from one choice to another.”

“We are way beyond changing a lightbulb and simple solutions, things have taken a massive turn for the worse.”

“Greenland is going away if climate stays at the temperature where it is now, and does not drop.”

“Florida is the place that is most susceptible to climate change and sea-level rise. The sea-level is rising, and it’s coming up onto our streets and flooding our streets, even on a sunny day. We are raising the roads and installing pumps that will buy us some time. Unfortunately, we have a Governor and a cabinet that doesn’t believe in climate change. Nor does our Senator, Marco Rubio. You would think he would use the funds available to us to make Florida viable and safe.”

“We are fighting this massive dis-information campaign to confuse the public. Conservatives are trying to divide the public. All of the hatred and fear from conservatives is funded by a few players. Fossil fuel interests and the KOCH brothers finance a huge echo chamber of climate change deniers and climate denialism.”

“Research shows this abrupt warming has no precedent in history looking at records thousands of years back, the sudden rise in temperatures over the last decades looks like a hockey stick. I have had threats on my life, threats against my family, death threats – all by conservatives, Republicans, the KOCH brothers, the fossil fuel industry.”

“Websites, news outlets, think tanks – they find people with fairly impressive credentials who are willing to sell those credentials to fossil fuel interests. All of these organizations with lofty sounding names like: The Heartland Institute, Americans for Prosperity, CATO Institute, etc., are funded by conservatives to deny climate change.”

“Americans for Prosperity – is just a front group for the KOCH Brothers. KOCH Industries is one of the largest fossil fuel businesses in the world, and they are trying to protect their wealth.”

“Senator James Inhofe is one of the biggest climate deniers in the world. He is one of the largest recipients of fossil fuel money in the U.S. Senate. Fossil fuel interests have bought our House of Representatives — Paul Ryan, Mary Landeau, John Cornyn, Ted Cruz, Mitch McConnell.”

“We cannot get a climate bill passed because our Congress is controlled by fossil fuel funded climate change deniers. These people are seeking to lead us astray, all for short-term profits for themselves. What could be more immoral than that?”

“Fact is, we’ve known about climate change for decades and decades. If we took the science seriously back then, we would be in a very different place today.”