Introduction: Environmental/Ecological Value: Environmental/Ecological Value

In this chapter, the author explores the question of documentary cinema and ecological value, examining the ways in which recent documentaries approach the question of environmental threats, ecological and social justice, and moral persuasion through imaginative means. Documentary film, as earlier remarked, has always sought to educate and to persuade. In this respect Anthropocene, Koyaanisqatsi, and An Inconvenient Truth all contribute to the ethical and social task of ecocinema, not only to draw attention to ecological issues but also to find cinematic means to engage audiences with a view to catalyzing attitudinal and social change. A good example of the way in which Anthropocene uses arresting audio-visual imagery in conjunction with succinct but minimal voiceover is the segment on “Terraforming”: the act of altering the Earth’s surface for human needs. The intertwining of technological, social, economic, and ecological processes in the Anthropocene, however, demands a complex, integrated approach to cinematic presentation and ethical argumentation.