As the resident Marine Biologist at Nice and Serious, I was nominated (rather gladly I’ll add!) to review Channel 4’s recent campaign to promote sustainable fish. Suitably titled The Big Fish Fight, this campaign follows up on the positive awareness achieved by The Great British Food Fight (GBFF) in early 2009. While the GBFF focused mainly on livestock welfare in the UK, The Big Fish Fight extended the boundaries not only into the ocean but extended across it, investigating the many issues surrounding the global fishing industry. Calling upon the nation’s favorite (although some may argue this!) TV chef’s, Channel 4 delivered a week of programming that would seek to change the nation’s habits when it came to buying seafood and encourage them to join the “fight” to make seafood more sustainable before it was too late.

What the Green Movement Got Wrong was the latest in a string of controversial eco-docs commissioned by Channel 4. The documentary film was aired on Thursday 4th November 2010 and was followed by a televised debate on the issues raised. The film follows two central characters, Stewart Brand, the green activist that famously campaigned for NASA to release the first images of Earth from space, and Mark Lynas, author of High Tide, Six Degrees and infamously know for throwing a custard pie in the face of Bjørn Lomborg (The Skeptical Environmentalist).

With the often hectic life of being a producer at Nice and Serious, its a rare occasion that I get to sit down and catch up with one of Hollywood’s offerings. However, with my flatmate on holiday and no networking to do that evening, I decided it was time to watch a film that I’d been meaning to watch since its release in December 2009; 9. Whilst the environmental theme is only slight, I feel it can certainly be included amongst the numerous eco-conscious animated films that have been released lately. We have only to watch films like Wall-e and Happy Feet to realise that Hollywood is making a very welcome attempt to educate today’s youth about the environmental crisis our planet faces.

Rating: 2/5
2006, UK.
Certificate U.
Duration: 77 mins.
Directors: Mark Francis, Nick Francis

This week I experienced “Black Gold”, at my first Nice and Serious film night. Which, for some unknown reason, clashed horrendously with the World Cup semi final match between Uruguay and Holland. However, as I have a combined interest (and degree!) in environment and development, I suppressed my inner lad and was looking forward to an interesting film. Regrettably, my hopes were misplaced…