Postlethwaite lambasts climate deniers on eve of green film premiere

Oscar-nominated actor compares those who do not accept human-induced global warming with Holocaust deniers
Felicity Carus, guardian.co.uk 13 Mar 09;

Actor Pete Postlethwaite yesterday denounced climate change deniers as a "negative force" with their "heads in the sand". Ahead of Sunday's premiere of The Age of Stupid, an environmental doomsday docudrama, he compared those who do not accept that human-induced global warming is occurring with Holocaust deniers, and said the evidence for global change is now beyond doubt.

"The naysayers are a negative force," said Postlethwaite, whose new film, The Age of Stupid, premieres on Sunday. "Because that can be really bad for people who are not sure and they'll think 'well it's too late'. There are some people who disagree with it therefore what can I do? Therefore forget it. I think that's really bad."

In the film, the Oscar-nominated actor stars as a future survivor of the 21st century's climate apocalypse, who looks back on the present through documentary footage and asks why humanity failed to save itself while it could.

In an interview with the Guardian, the actor made the link between climate change denial and Holocaust denial: "There are bound to be deniers. Whenever you set up a thesis there's bound to be somebody who comes the opposite way … like Holocaust deniers. They can stick their heads in the sand if they like, but the evidence is absolutely there and graphic for anybody to have a look at."

The film has already provoked strong reactions from climate change naysayers, but Postlethwaite dismissed them. "I just put a reflective mirror up at them and let it bounce back them and go 'bye bye, let's hear the positive things from George Monbiot'," he said.

He said the film, which he described as "refreshing and startling", would help the waverers swing in favour of doing something about climate change. "I think there will be more people coming out of that film who will go 'man oh man that was really moving, exciting, that was terrifying, what do we do?' And that's the kind of feeling we want to get out of it and I think the majority of people will think that."

Postlethwaite said he did not want to be hypocritical about climate change so he and his wife Jacqui Morrish have done extensive work to their rural Shropshire home to make it as green as possible. They have reduced their carbon footprint by almost 60 tonnes in the past year but adding a small wind turbine, better insulation and a wood-burning stove. They export much of the electricity produced by the wind turbine back to the grid.

"I do feel strongly about this movement to get people aware of climate change. But we've also got to be aware of our own personal responsibility and where we can do something at home, we have done. Simple things, like insulation, so you're not giving heat out. It seems a simple thing, but that'll save you 25% on your bills straightaway. We're lucky enough to live somewhere where we can have a wind turbine. The council had one caveat. Don't paint it a garish colour. I don't think we were thinking of having it pink and white striped, although it would look quite nice."

The premiere of Age of Stupid is being billed as the greenest ever. Celebrities will arrive in cars powered by cooking oil and are being discouraged from flying. The projector will be powered by batteries charged from solar panels and the tent will be lit by gas from London landfill sites, and heated with stoves using "eco-logs" made from recycled free London newspapers, and possibly also horse manure. As the film is screened in Leicester Square, 64 cinemas across the country will also premiere the film for a one-off showing before it goes on general release on 20 March.

The PR company handling the film's release says it has received threatening telephone calls which they have reported to the police ahead of the premiere in Leicester Square and cinemas around the country on Sunday. The Metropolitan police said they had not received complaints of specific threats and would have "appropriate policing levels as for any premiere at Leicester Square" but were "flexible if something more needs to be done".

Watch the making of Age of Stupid here