Next June 5th will be World Environment Day. The environment. Our planet. Of all the issues we can chose to address or ignore, to embrace or discard, to concern ourselves with or to make fun of, none are more critical. Make no mistake about it, our very survival as a species depends on them.

Well, found over at Orcas in the Mist (thanks for the scoop, Elo), here’s the upcoming eye-opener: a movie called Home, directed by Yann Arthus-Bertrand and produced by no other than the mighty Luc Besson.

Home is an aerial ode to the planet and a call for us to wake up and empower ourselves before it’s just too late – in other words, tomorrow. Granted, there have been many such movies and as many such calls. Well, repetition is the mother of all skills. And this call, with a twist, preaches what it teaches in a very simple way: it will be released simultaneously, for free where it can, in a reported 87 countries and all mediums, theatre, DVD, TV and internet via YouTube. There will be a free screening at the foot of the Eiffel Tower and many other local or national events.

Shot from the skies of 54 nations, Home will be translated into 14 languages. The shooting was done exclusively from the air but was carbon offset – in other words all involved CO2 emissions were calculated and offset by money donations providing clean energy in areas of need. At the FNAC, major book and DVD store chain in France, the DVD version will go on sale on the 5th for €4.99. For reference, Quantum of Solace sells for €19.99 and An Inconvenient Truth for €13.00.

Of course as nothing is ever perfect, the main sponsor, PPR, is a group of companies and brands with potential questionable impact on the very issues they are sponsoring (we’re talking Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, Puma, etc.) However I am no specialist and better analysis of their practices would be needed in order to make a judgment. But it is undeniable that a major sponsor was needed in order to pull a project like Home off, and to make it available worldwide for free. So in the end, they get their back patted and the Earth still gains much deserved attention. I think it is worth it.

Any way – the aerial photography looks stunning and I am very much looking forward to it! After all, there is nothing on Earth as beautiful as the Earth herself.

Update to self: Watching the movie is likely to turn, for most people, into yet another act of slacktivism. I say if you (I) like the show, do something about it. Right there and then. And then again. And yet again. We are very good at applauding nice initiatives, at passing along feel-good emails and petitions, and talking about the could’s and should’s. How good are we as movers and shakers of Change?