New Voices Join Forces with ‘Don’t Look Up’ to Address Climate Change at CPH:DOX
Climate Activist Group Disrupts High-Profile Events
Climate Defiance, a group of young activists led by founder Michael Greenberg, has made headlines for their disruptive strategies demanding urgent action on climate change. Their recent protests have targeted high-profile charity events, political appearances, and even cultural productions, such as Ibsen’s An Enemy of the People. During a performance in March 2024, members of Climate Defiance interrupted actors Jeremy Strong and Michael Imperioli, with one protester shouting, “No theater on a dead planet!”
The group’s tactics are featured in the upcoming documentary Don’t Look Up, set to premiere on Wednesday at CPH:DOX in Copenhagen. Directed by Emma Wall and Betsy Hershey, the film chronicles Greenberg’s efforts to evolve his fledgling organization into a significant force for climate action. Produced by Natja Rosner and four-time Oscar nominee Signe Byrge Sørensen, the film also has Oscar-winning director Adam McKay, known for the 2021 satire of the same name, serving as an executive producer alongside Oscar nominee Joshua Oppenheimer.
A synopsis of the film portrays Greenberg as a "brazen visionary," emphasizing that Climate Defiance operates in the tradition of historical movements like Gandhi’s Satyagraha and the Civil Rights Movement, employing radical nonviolent direct actions to challenge Big Oil and the politicians who support them.
“The film charts a motley, idealistic crew improvising, failing, regrouping, and pushing on to protect the planet,” the synopsis continues. “As they press forward, the film’s propulsive soundtrack – featuring artists like Chappell Roan, Doechii, and Billie Eilish – sharpens the stakes for a generation with no room to fail.”
Directors Wall and Hershey previously collaborated on the short documentary Guerrilla Habeas in 2023. In their director’s statement for Don’t Look Up, they express a sense of urgency, stating, “We were tired of being told to wait. Wait for policies, wait for leaders, wait for ‘the right time.’ Meanwhile, the planet was warming… We wanted to see what happens when people stop waiting.”
The filmmakers note the importance of their education on effective change during a pandemic Zoom call, where experts shared insights on the history of nonviolent civil disobedience. They found that when just 3.5% of a population commits to sustained disruption, governments often respond.
In discussing Climate Defiance, the directors remarked, “They broke with decorum. They unsettled polite rooms… Discomfort was not collateral damage. It was the strategy.”
The filmmakers followed the activists not to either endorse or condemn their methods but simply to observe. “What struck us most was their refusal of despair. Faced with an overwhelming crisis, they insisted on agency and possibility… The personal risk to protesters like Michael Greenberg is growing,” they noted.
Don’t Look Up ultimately aims to capture the human impulse to fight for a livable future, exploring themes of defiance, humor, and determination in the context of climate activism.
Timothy Grucza serves as the cinematographer for Don’t Look Up, while Adam Nielsen is responsible for the editing, and the score is composed by RØMANS. The documentary’s soundtrack boasts contributions from numerous talented artists, including Tyler, The Creator, Childish Gambino, Bob Dylan, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Brian Eno, and Michael Kiwanuka.
A teaser of the film is available for viewing.
