2025 Climate Film Festival: Cinema as a Catalyst for Global Climate Action at Climate Week NYC

Connecting Hearts and Minds Through the Power of Film

Scarlet Red Magazine is proud to stand alongside the Climate Film Festival (CFF) as it returns September 19–22, 2025, during Climate Week NYC. Cinema has the rare ability to bridge science and emotion, allowing audiences to feel the urgency of the climate crisis. Through powerful storytelling and intimate encounters with characters from across the globe, films transform abstract data into lived experiences — helping us connect, empathise, and act.

At Scarlet Red, we believe that film is more than entertainment: it is an essential tool for connection and for advancing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN SDGs). By shining a light on frontline communities, innovative solutions, and the shared human stories behind climate headlines, the Climate Film Festival proves that art can spark action.

The 2nd Annual Climate Film Festival: Bold Stories, Global Voices

Now in its second year, the Climate Film Festival 2025 is New York City’s premier showcase for boundary-pushing climate storytelling. With 50 films and 32 premieres, CFF invites audiences to experience 17 free public programs, industry panels, activations, and networking events — all designed to inspire collective action and culture change.

Highlights include:

• Opening Night – Friday, September 19
  DGA New York Theater, 110 W. 57th St.
  A special 25th-anniversary 4K remaster screening of Erin Brockovich presented with Universal Pictures. Conversation to follow with producer Michael Shamberg, moderated by Dharna Noor of The Guardian.

• Weekend Screenings – Saturday & Sunday, September 20–21
  Regal Essex Crossing, 129 Delancey St.
  Two full days of finalist screenings across 18 programs, concluding with the NYC Premiere of Trade Secret — a sweeping exposé on the global polar bear pelt trade.

• Make/Change Public & Industry Programs – September 20–21
  Essex Market, 88 Essex St.
  From the Climate Writer’s Room and Beyond the Box Office distribution strategies to Sustainable Production Lightning Talks, Table Reads, and a Climate Narrative Pitch Competition, these sessions explore every stage of climate filmmaking — from script to impact.

• Awards Night – Sunday, September 21
  Sponsored by NRDC, honoring excellence across Feature Documentary, Feature Narrative, Short Documentary, Short Narrative, Youth Choice, and the Horizon Award for filmmakers under 30.

• Narrative Change Summit – Monday, September 22
  SVA Theatre, 333 W. 23rd St.
  A full day of panels and creative collaborations exploring how philanthropy, XR technology, regenerative agriculture, and brand partnerships can reshape climate narratives and drive measurable change.

Storytelling That Drives Solutions

The Climate Film Festival is more than a film event — it’s a movement. From the Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment’s Film Green Office Hours to Films from the Frontlines featuring NAACP’s Climate in Color initiative, CFF brings together filmmakers, NGOs, brands, and audiences to advance climate solutions and accelerate the UN SDGs.

As co-founder Alec Turnbull explains, “Make. Watch. Change! Our mission is to showcase bold storytelling that makes climate action accessible and inspires the 89% of people who want more action on climate change.”

Scarlet Red Magazine’s Commitment

Supporting the Climate Film Festival aligns with Scarlet Red’s mission to spotlight creativity and innovation that lead to a more sustainable, just world. By amplifying the voices of filmmakers, activists, and everyday changemakers, we join CFF in showing that stories can be as transformative as policies.

Plan Your Festival Experience

The 2nd Annual Climate Film Festival runs September 19–22, 2025, across venues in Manhattan. For tickets, full program details, accessibility information, and to watch the 2025 festival trailer, visit climatefilmfest.com.

Scarlet Red Magazine invites readers, creators, and climate advocates to experience the festival and witness how the art of cinema can ignite the change our planet needs.