A Pope Francis-inspired film addressing temperature and weather pattern shifts has premiered in Nairobi ahead of the United Nations Climate Change Conference in 2022 (COP27).
On Saturday, the film “The Letter – A Message for Our Earth,” which was shown for the first time in Africa, premiered at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa.
The film was released on October 4, 2022, with the Vatican hosting the first global premiere. In the first week of its release, it received over 2 million views on YouTube.
The film was released as the world prepares for this year’s COP27, which will take place from November 6 to 18 in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt.
The film features Pope Francis, who has shared his profound wisdom with other voices from the margins of the environmental crisis.
It is the result of the Laudato Si’ Movement’s six-year collaboration with Off the Fence (the Oscar-winning producers of My Octopus Teacher) and the Vatican.
Over 1,000 people attended the film screening at the university’s LRC auditorium, which was followed by an interactive panel discussion on climate change.
“We are thrilled by the journey that Pope Francis’ encyclical, Laudato Si is taking. We are seeing how the message is inspiring informational evolution. ‘The Letter’ is giving people hope of a better future and hope for local and global solidarity in the fight for ecological and climate justice,”said Prince Papa, the Africa Programmes Manager for Laudato Si Movement.
Lang’ata MP Phelix Odiwuor, also known as Jalang’o, who attended the premiere, said the film will go a long way toward inspiring the world to address climate change.
“I hope the movie can be shown in many other areas in Kenya so that all stakeholders can collaborate to mitigate the effects of climate change,” the MP said.
He also stated that over 700,000 trees will be planted in the Lang’ata constituency over the next five years.
The executive producer of The Letter and director of the Laudato Si Movement, Tomas Insua, said immediately after the interview at the Vatican, “The goal of the letter is to show us that everything is interconnected,” which is the central message of Pope Francis in Laudato Si.
“It showcases how our actions towards the environment and social change impact others and that nothing is done in isolation.”
By registering on the film’s website, members of the public around the world will be able to host free screenings of the film in their communities and institutions.
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change hosts an annual meeting known as COP27.
They serve as the UNFCCC parties’ formal meeting (Conference of the Parties) to assess progress in dealing with climate change.
