Follows the globe-trotting journey of President Mohamed Nasheed of the Maldives, the lowest-lying country in the world, who, after bringing democracy to his country, takes up the fight to keep it from disappearing under the sea.
The Island President Deposed
I’m actually crying at the choice of these filmmakers to include every Radiohead song ever made in this documentary about climate change. Truly a choice
Truly admire the commitment of putting no less than 13 Radiohead songs in a 100 minute documentary
Very relevant topic that this documentary covers and President Mohamed Nasheed is a very charismatic and interesting person. Solid and informative.
Talking about global warming is one thing... Seeing its effects is another... "The Island President" takes a look at the world's lowest country - The Maldives and follows its surprisingly charming and charismatic president while he fights a lost war against the rising sea levels by trying to convince other countries to 'go green'. For him it's not merely a political statement - it's survival of his countrymen.
By the way, if I hadn't watched this documentary, I would probably never even realize how much breadth of history (and a trouble one at that) can lie within a small country that many of us view only as resorts and holiday destinations.
A must-see.
Well done (no background-speaker, good information mediation, likeable scenes from the presidents life) documentary about the Maldives and it´s one and only democratially elected president Mohamed Nasheed (2008-2012) who had been imprisoned for years because of his political activities. Also we learn something about the Maldives history, the political system (islamic autocracy).
Nasheed ist trying to make the Maldives situation in reference to climate change a worldwide topic because the Maldives are just 1,5 m above sea level.
One could say, oh well, the Maldives have only 400.000 inhabitants. Let´s just relocate them. It would probably be cheaper than slowing down climate change now. But in the long run....
"The island president" looks behind the scenes of Nasheeds work. He…
Very good documentary on climate change! Especially loved the part where they played Radiohead's entire discography. I think that really drove their point home.
The amount of times Nasheed was asked what he will do if a climate deal is not agreed to and he answered, “We die.” >>>
I laughed every time at his tell-it-like-it-is attitude and spunky comments but then you realize this is like, true. He’s not being edgy just to get media attention, he is making it known the human costs of the petty bickering.
Rewatched this for a project for my Digital Photography class where we have to present on a documentary poster we think has a good design. I watched this once on a plane and it had a big impact on me; I’m interested in the politics of small nations, and in climate change, and Mohamed Nasheed was an inspiring screen presence.
With a few years’ perspective I’m lowering my rating to 3.5 from 4.5; recent political turmoil in the Maldives notwithstanding, I do think on second look that this could do more to tie together Nasheed’s personal story with the themes of climate change, and give us a greater sense of the Maldives’ significance in our generation’s defining struggle.
Nevertheless, it…
According to ex President of the Maldives Mohamed Nasheed, the picturesque stretches of coral islands that make up the country are in danger of disappearing under water if current rates of carbon emission continue. 330,000 Sunni Muslims are spread across the region where the highest point reaches only 2.4metres above sea level so survival is top of the agenda for the nation.
Environmental documentaries arrive thick and fast every year suffering at the hands of a topic that has now become a platform for politicians and companies to market themselves into our minds and pockets. So a lot of key issues are missed by a public a little sceptical and worn down by those hopping onto the bandwagon.
Director Jon…
The content is good but the attempt to pin a meaningful conclusion on Copenhagen 2009, which was anything but, is an unfortunate miss-step of context that leaves the film a touch empty. Still, real issues are presented with original vigour. More on the site.
Incredible, sensitive and heartfelt portrait of an inspiring powerhouse of a man. We watched this in my environmental law class and I'll admit to being brought to the verge of tears, knowing this documentary and Nasheed's huge efforts at Copenhagen happened 10 years ago, and that things have only gotten much worse since. As I'm writing this, the USA is set to withdraw from the Paris Agreement in 22 days. It breaks my heart. This should be compulsory viewing for the entire world, and especially for us living in economically developed countries.
