Revolution (Rob Stewart, 2012): Canada, USA

Reviewed by Reyes Munoz. Viewed at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival (2013), Lobero Theater.

Rob Stewart’s documentary Revolution (2013) will leave you wanting change for a better world and future. This chilling documentary serves as a wake up call for many individuals who have been polluting the planet without ever knowing. As consumers, everyone has a carbon footprint and it is up to each individual to reduce that footprint in order for future generations to prosper and live a better life. Director Rob Stewart does an excellent job in conveying his message that the time to take action is now before it is too late. In his own words: “Revolution is a film about changing the world, going for it, taking a stand, and fighting for something.”

Rob Stewart’s documentary took him to him to 15 countries and 4 years to produce while discovering that there are a lot more species other than just sharks that are at risk of becoming extinct. Everyday contributing factors such as “climate change, environmental degradation, species loss, ocean acidification, pollution, and food/water scarcity are reducing the earth’s ability to house humans, plants, and animals and we need to start doing something about it now.” After completing his acclaimed documentary, Sharkwater, Stewart decided to take it upon himself to start a movement for a better world. So he gathered up a small crew, a few cameras and equipment, and set off to document a journey that would eventually expose what was really going on in our planet. The discoveries were shocking.

With breathtaking underwater cinematography, Stewart brings us shocking images of dieing coral reefs in Papua New Guinea. Furthermore, he exposes the deforestation that’s taking place in Madagascar, one of the most beautiful places on the planet which houses some of the most unique animal species in the world. Throughout his journey of uncovering the truth and finding the secrets to saving the ecosystems we so dearly depend on for survival, Stewart admits that one of the largest and most destructive environmental projects in history was taking place in his own backyard, his home country: Canada. As it turns out, there is a zone in Alberta, Canada called Oil Sands which practices the destructive process of oil mining, a process of extracting and separating oil from oil deposits containing sand, clay, dirt, water, and rock. This process, according to Stewart, is complicated and very costly both environmentally and in terms of energy consumption as it takes a lot more fuel and resources to separate the oil than the actual end result.

Ultimately, I enjoyed listening to Stewart talk and hear what he had to say. We had a chance to meet with him before and after the film for quick sessions of Q&A and it seems that he is a person who is legitimately concerned with the future of our planet and is actually trying to do something about it. Also, he doesn’t seem to be interested in the money aspect of filmmaking as he is trying his hardest to male his documentary film available free if he can find the right sponsors who will support his views. Overall this was an interesting documentary and a must see for everyone.