Culture
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Energy moves the world. And it moves stories, too. Cinema and streaming platforms are leaning into the energy transition and sustainability, making them leading characters on screen.
Documentaries about energy open our eyes —from disappearing glaciers to solar panels rising on rooftops. They reveal the impact of our choices and the hope behind every innovation.
And if you don’t want to miss the best ones, here’s a list you shouldn’t skip.
Energy as the leading character on screen
An Inconvenient Truth (2006)
When An Inconvenient Truth premiered, few could have predicted its impact. The documentary, starring Al Gore, put climate change on the global political agenda, sparking worldwide awareness.
With data, visuals, and clear storytelling, it posed a question that remains just as relevant today: what will happen if we don’t change the way we produce and consume energy? A decade later, its message is still timely —a reminder that every action matters.
Before the Flood (2016)
Leonardo DiCaprio travels the planet showing us the effects of climate change and the consequences of our dependence on fossil fuels.
From Indonesia’s rainforests to the poles, Before the Flood portrays a world in transformation. But it also offers hope, highlighting measures already being taken to reverse the trend.
Our Planet: Our Business (2019)
Produced by WWF and Netflix, this documentary explores sustainability from a business perspective. It examines how companies can lead the energy transition without sacrificing economic growth.
A powerful message at a time when renewable energy is driving the economy of the future. Our Planet: Our Business shows that meaningful change also depends on the commitment of people and organisations.
Switch On (2020)
Meet leaders, entrepreneurs, and everyday people who are reshaping their countries as they fight energy poverty. Switch On highlights the transformational power of access to energy.
Through real stories, it shows how electricity opens the door to new opportunities and redefines the future of communities. A perspective that will change the way you see energy.
Energías renovables, la alternativa limpia (2024)
This documentary series focuses on Europe. Through expert interviews and real case studies, it explores how solar, wind, and other clean sources are driving a fair energy transition.
It spotlights innovation, research, and the opportunity to make Europe a global leader in sustainable energy.
Energy in film: from crisis to change
Beyond documentaries, fiction films use energy as a symbol of both progress and conflict. From dystopias depicting an exhausted planet to stories imagining a future powered by innovation, energy has long been at the centre of modern storytelling.
Films like Mad Max: Fury Road or Interstellar reflect the ethical and social issues that arise when resources are limited or when humanity must rely on new forms of energy to survive.
But there’s also a more optimistic cinema that showcases human creativity and resilience in the face of 21st-century challenges.
More and more people are embracing sustainable habits —choosing electric mobility, reducing energy consumption, or installing solar panels at home. It’s an unstoppable change! And like every change, it’s also told through stories.
If films have the power to move us, energy documentaries have the power to awaken us. To inspire. To remind us that electricity can change the course of the planet.
