Climate Film Festival announces first look of new film by directors of “Common Ground” and “Kiss the Ground.” #Powerjournalist Markos Papadatos has the scoop.
The Climate Film Festival (CFF), New York’s leading showcase for boundary-pushing climate storytelling, announces the first public look at Groundswell (2026) at CFF’s Narrative Change Summit on Monday, September 22, 2025.
Groundbreaking: Regenerative Agriculture Through the Directors’ Lens brings together award-winning climate filmmakers Josh and Rebecca Tickell with activist and scholar Wawa Gatheru for a thought-provoking conversation on the power of storytelling to transform our relationship with the planet.
Audiences will gain a unique behind-the-scenes perspective on their globally acclaimed documentaries Kiss the Ground (2020) and Common Ground (2023), both streaming now on Prime Video, and an exclusive sneak peek at a snippet at the visionary new project that continues their mission to put regenerative agriculture on the global map.
The event takes place as part of the Climate Film Festival’s inaugural Narrative Change Summit, a gathering designed to spotlight creative collaborations between filmmakers, artists, philanthropies, NGOs, and companies working to bring climate conversations into the cultural mainstream.
Proudly supported by Nespresso, the program also marks the beginning of the brand’s Climate Week activations in New York. Panelists will explore the art and impact of filmmaking, the future of regenerative agriculture, and the opportunities—and responsibilities—of working with corporate partners to drive meaningful change.
The Climate Film Festival returns for its second year September 19–22 during Climate Week NYC. With support from presenting media partner the Guardian, the 2025 festival features 50 films and 32 premieres, alongside a full slate of screenings, interactive programs, public conversations, and partner activations. After a successful inaugural edition that drew over 2,000 attendees to 60 screenings, the festival has added a fourth day of programming focused on Narrative Change. For the full schedule and ticketing, visit climatefilmfest.com.
“We are thrilled to share a short snippet of our upcoming project with the Climate Film Festival’s Narrative Change Summit,” Josh Tickell said. “The climate crisis is here but our goal is that this film is to show how easily it can be solved with the remarkable global efforts to regenerate environments, reverse desertification and create lasting climate stability.”
“Film has a unique power to move climate stories from the margins into the mainstream,” said Alec Turnbull, Executive Director of the Climate Film Festival. “We were proud to screen Common Ground at our 2024 festival, and we’re honored to continue that journey by welcoming the directors for an exclusive first look at their next chapter.
At the Narrative Change Summit, we’re also creating space for funders and partners to come together, think openly about how we grow audiences, and explore bold, innovative approaches. In a challenging documentary funding landscape, that shared space is essential to helping climate films break through and reach the scale this moment demands.”
Panel Details
Location: SVA Theatre, 333 W 23 St, New York, NY 10011
Time: Monday, September 22, 2025 from 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM, followed by a coffee tasting from 3:00 PM – 3:30 PM
Panelists
Josh Tickell is an internationally recognized author, film director, speaker and consultant on regeneration and the climate. Josh’s “Veggie Van,” his first book, From the Fryer to the Fuel Tank, and his Sundance Award Winning directorial debut film, Fuel, helped jumpstart the biodiesel revolution. Josh has been a featured guest on The Tonight Show and Good Morning America. He is a featured opinion leader in news stories on CNN, Discovery, Reuters, NBC, Fox, and NPR. His book, Kiss the Ground was a bestseller in 4 categories on Amazon.
Rebecca Tickell is an award-winning director, producer, and environmental activist whose career began at just nine years old when she starred in the beloved holiday classic Prancer, earning her international recognition. Her early success in film, combined with a lifelong passion for nature, inspired her to use storytelling as a catalyst for change.
Wawa Gatheru: Wawa Gatheru is a Kenyan-American climate scholar, activist, and narrative strategist working to build a more just and inclusive climate movement. She made history as the first Black person to receive the Rhodes, Truman, and Udall scholarships, achievements that reflect her pioneering academic contributions at the intersection of climate, racial equity, and social transformation.
About the Climate Film Festival
The Climate Film Festival (CFF) is a nonprofit cultural organization and annual film festival held in New York City during Climate Week NYC. Founded in 2023, CFF uses the power of storytelling through cinema to reshape the conversation around climate change, making complex issues accessible and inspiring audiences toward action.
Each year, CFF presents a diverse slate of narrative features, documentaries, shorts, and experimental works, accompanied by filmmaker discussions, educational programming, and the Narrative Change Summit, fostering dialogue among artists, communities, policymakers, and sustainability experts. Its mission emphasizes narrative transformation, environmental justice, community engagement, and amplifying innovative voices in climate media.
The Climate Film Festival is fiscally sponsored by Ecologistics, a 501(c)(3) organization. Visit climatefilmfest.com and follow the Climate Film Festival on Instagram, Substack, and LinkedIn.
