CHENNAI: It is no secret that our planet is under tremendous stress and it is imperative that all of us pause and ponder how we have ruined our Earth — and, indeed, how we can attempt to undo some of that damage. An extremely enlightening documentary, “Kiss the Ground,” directed by the acclaimed husband-and-wife team Joshua Tickell and Rebecca Harrell Tickell, just hit Netflix and is a sobering wake-up call. In under 90 minutes, the documentary shakes us out of our slumber and presents just how badly the Earth has been affected by our actions — but, refreshingly, the film offers a potential way out.
Narrated by actor Woody Harrelson, the movie features some of the world’s leading scientists and activists.
“Never has the world needed healing as we do now. ‘Kiss the Ground’ offers a way to heal our bodies, bolster our immune systems and heal our planet. This is a critical time for humanity and a critical movie for the world,” Rebecca Tickell says.
The result of almost 10 years of research and 300 hours of footage skimmed down into 87 minutes, the film conveys an urgent, almost desperate call for action, while suggesting a simple solution to save life on Earth.
From their beautiful avocado ranch in Ojai, California, the directors talk about a movement to reverse climate change “by pulling carbon out of the air and putting it back into the soil.” They call it “carbon farming” and have featured leading scientific advocates of this movement in the documentary.
The documentary explores the concept of regenerative agriculture, in which farming and grazing practices are geared toward reversing climate change by rebuilding the soil’s organic matter and restoring soil biodiversity, so often stripped bare by large-scale agricultural ventures which rely on on additives, pesticides and other harmful practices.
While glitzy celebrities such as Gisele Bündchen, Tom Brady, Jason Mraz, Ian Somerhalder, Patricia Arquette, David Arquette and Rosario Dawson lend Hollywood glamour to the documentary, the real stars of the film are the wealth of ecologists, farmers and naturalists who bring their expertise to the small screen.
Packed with eye-catching visuals, “Kiss the Ground” engages viewers with useful data and invaluable perspectives in a bid to offer hope in a time of severe need.
