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Chasing Glaciers

A world temperature increase of 1.5 °C is already inevitable and a 2 °C increase is very possible considering the path we are on now. As the climate changes, droughts will become more commonplace. Major cities like Capetown and Los Angeles are predicted to lose all access to their natural water reserves. Nations such as the Maldives and Bangladesh will completely disappear underneath the ocean’s surface and desertification will destroy much of Northern Africa and the Middle East (and all of this by 2050)! Even though these problems seem existential and preventable, there is one place where the threat of Climate Change is currently manifesting itself: the beautiful country of Perú. Within their borders are 70% of the world´s tropical glaciers and over the last 40 years, they have lost almost half their surface areas. The country of 27 million all depend on these glaciers either directly or indirectly for potable water, irrigation, and hydroelectric energy. With the rise in temperature many if not all these glaciers will completely disappear. As they do, the livelihoods and water resources of the people impacted will vanish as well. There is no saving them, only to adapt to a new way of life or pack up and move.

  • Mark Gregory
    Director
  • Mark Gregory
    Writer
  • Mutatio Film Studio
    Producer
  • Morph Audio Visual
    Producer
  • Jacinto Arroyo
    Key Cast
  • Odon Zelarayan
    Key Cast
  • Saul Huarcaya
    Key Cast
  • Rodrigo Ramirez
    Camera
  • Desirée Egúsquiza
    Camera
  • Santiago Gimenez
    Camera
  • Diego Peñaranda
    Drone Operator
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short
  • Runtime:
    19 minutes 49 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    September 1, 2019
  • Production Budget:
    1,500 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Peru
  • Country of Filming:
    Peru
  • Language:
    English, Spanish
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    Yes
  • Indie Short Fest
    Los Angeles
    United States
    November 28, 2019
    Best Student Documentary Short
  • The North Face Mountain Film Festival
    Lima
    Peru
    November 23, 2019
    South America Premier
    Best Adventure and Exploration Film
  • Socially Relevant Film Festival New York
    New York
    United States
    June 19, 2020
    North American Premiere
    Official Selection
Director Biography - Mark Gregory

My motivation for creating this film comes from a deep concern for the world we live in. It is hard not to turn on the TV or look online these days without seeing natural disasters or the bleak predictions for the future. Yet the world remains complacent about taking action. I believe art can be a method to invoke change and my idea for the film is to try to tackle the everyday realities of Climate Change and the ways that it slowly wreaks havoc on our environments. I hope to raise awareness about the issue of melting glaciers so that action can continue to be taken to help those that now need to adapt to new realities of life.

I have an academic background with a bachelor's in International Studies and Spanish from Arcadia University in Philadelphia, USA and a masters in International Relations and Cultural Diplomacy from Furtwangen University in Berlin, Germany. Peru is special to me because of the two years I spent teaching English there between my degrees and the thesis research I conducted in Huancayo in 2018. The country holds an important place in my heart for the generosity and humbleness of the people I met there and the knowledge they bestowed upon me. To be able to produce something that tries to make an impact while capturing my interests is an unbelievable opportunity and I will try to pursue it to the fullest. The film was a project between my colleagues who studied film at the University of Lima and we hope to use it not only as a pitch to create a full-length series but also as a mechanism for social action.

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Director Statement

Making the abstract concept of Climate Change tangible