As the next Trump presidency approaches, threats to roll back environmental regulations and international climate programs are mounting. LandxSea has curated a guide of environmental documentaries to arm us all with the knowledge, ideas, and inspiration to discuss a thoughtful environmental agenda.
These films are available to rent from most streaming services, unless otherwise noted.
You’ve Been Trumped Trilogy (2011-2016)
Directed by BAFTA-winning, Montrose-based filmmaker Anthony Baxter, this trilogy explores the ongoing operation of Donald Trump and his controversial developments that take away people’s homes, land, and water for luxury golf resorts in Scotland. Since the first film You've Been Trumped in 2011, Baxter has taken great risks to expose the environmental impact of Trump’s projects in two follow-up films, A Dangerous Game and You've Been Trumped Too.
See all three films on the big screen plus live onstage Q&As with special guests on 1 & 2 Nov at the Montrose Playhouse.
La Source (2012)
Narrated by Don Cheadle, La Source tells the uplifting story of Josue Lajuenesse, a Haitian janitor at Princeton, who returns to his homeland after the 2010 earthquake to bring clean water to his village. Patrick Shen’s film is a powerful narrative about hope, resilience, and the environmental challenges driving migration. Watch Here
Cooked: Survival by Zip Code (2019)
Cooked explores the deadly 1995 Chicago heatwave, where over 700 people died, most of them from marginalised communities. Judith Helfand connects this tragedy to broader issues of climate change, poverty, and systemic inequality, highlighting how environmental disasters disproportionately affect vulnerable populations. Watch Free
Chasing Ice (2012)
The prequel to our 2024 festival hit Chasing Time. In this award-winning documentary, renowned photographer James Balog captures undeniable evidence of our changing planet by using revolutionary time-lapse cameras to record the rapid melting of glaciers across the Arctic. Jeff Orlowski’s cinematic masterpiece shows the breathtaking speed at which Arctic ice is melting and highlights the urgent need for climate action. Trailer
The Human Element (2018)
James Balog continues his exploration of the complex relationship between humans and nature. The Human Element follows Balog as he documents how the four classical elements—air, earth, fire, and water—are being altered by human activity, affecting everyday Americans. This film offers inspiration for a more balanced relationship between humanity and the natural world. Trailer
Photo by James Balog.
2073 (2024)
A British documentary directed by Asif Kapadia, which premiered in September 2024 at the Venice International Film Festival. Set in a dystopian future, the film follows a time traveler (Samantha Morton) who risks everything to alter history and save humanity. Inspired by Chris Marker's 1962 featurette La Jetée, Kapadia blends science fiction with documentary storytelling to comment on current global challenges. Trailer
Merchants of Doubt (2014)
Award-winning director Robert Kenner exposes the spin tactics learned in the tobacco industry and now used to spur climate change denial. Inspired by Naomi Oreskes and Erik Conway’s book, this documentary uncovers the media manipulation and corporate interests that sow confusion about the environmental crisis. Trailer
The Age of Consequences (2016)
This documentary explores how climate change interacts with societal tensions, sparking conflict in places like Syria, the Arab Spring, and Europe. The film reveals the hidden national security risks of climate change and the urgent need for climate action on a global scale. Watch Free
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
Stanley Kubrick’s classic Cold War satire depicts a psychotic Air Force General unleashing a foolproof scheme to attack Russia. As U.S. and Soviet leaders work to avert disaster, the film’s dark humour underscores the absurdity of unchecked military power—an apt metaphor for the need to temper environmental destruction.