KISS THE GROUND Film Review – We Can Heal The Earth

Posted on by Caryn Hoffman

Feeling overwhelmed by climate change or paralyzed by bad environmental news?

Idyllic and full of nature, Kiss The Ground gives us herds on African savannahs, livestock grazing on rolling hills, and waving fields of lush crops in Montana. An array of celebrities speak-out, including: Woody Harrelson as narrator; Jason Mraz, whose music is featured in the soundtrack; Rosario Dawson; Patricia Arquette; Ian Somerhalder; Gisele Bündchen; and Tom Brady. The lessons of agronomists, farmers, ranchers, researchers and authors are interspersed with those of the actors.

Never have scientists seemed so friendly or approachable as here, in this writer’s view. This doesn’t feel like over an hour and twenty-four minutes of talking heads as it presents interesting and diverse vignettes. Unified by positing the belief that we can heal the Earth by restoring the ground under our feet, this film pays homage to rich humus, pink worms and invisible microorganisms in our soil.

Never have scientists seemed so friendly or approachable as here, in this writer’s view. This doesn’t feel like over an hour and twenty-four minutes of talking heads as it presents interesting and diverse vignettes. Unified by positing the belief that we can heal the Earth by restoring the ground under our feet, this film pays homage to rich humus, pink worms and invisible microorganisms in our soil.

… Kiss The Ground will give you hope

If you, like this writer, are looking for answers to wildfires, human migrations, hotter temperatures, famines, and droughts this film will give you hope. Colorful animations help explain the chemistry behind their position detailing the roles that organisms, carbon, plants, and water can play in saving the Earth. San Francisco’s city-wide composting, turning dried hillsides back to verdant terraces in Asia, and protecting water supplies in Hatti are some of the projects highlighted. Different and diverse approaches going on globally to restore soil, this documentary tells us, are steps in the right direction to balance our climate disturbed by over one-hundred years of burning fossil fuels and decades of agricultural overuse of chemical herbicides and fertilizers.

“Save our soil to save ourselves.”

According to the film, to address our global crisis we must change business as usual, get whole communities and countries on board along with economists and political leaders to save the world by a simple solution, “Save our soil to save ourselves.” We are urged to get involved by first becoming informed. As the credits roll there are outtakes with Rosario Dawson interviewing passerby about what they are doing to stop climate change and someone says switching from plastic straws to paper straws. Clearly, the documentary shows, folks can do a lot more. “Together we can regenerate the Earth.”

Kiss The Ground is easy to watch and well edited, in this reviewer’s opinion.  Environmentalists, organic food enthusiasts, gardeners, ranchers, farmers and others looking for ways to balance our climate while ensuring fresh water and an ample food supply for the globe will enjoy this film.

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Run time: 84 minutes

Directed by: Josh Tickell, Rebecca Tickell
Narrated by: Woody Harrelson
Produced by: Rebecca Tickell, Josh Tickell, Bill Benenson, Ryland Engelhart and Darius Fisher
Cinematography by: Simon Balderas
Music Supervisor: Mike Meeker

For more information on the film and how to screen it visit the Kiss The Ground movie website.

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Images courtesy of Kiss The Ground.

 

Caryn Hoffmann
Caryn Hoffman

About the Author: Caryn Hoffman

Ms. Hoffman has a degree in art and her life’s work has been environmentally and  politically focused. After community organizing on both coasts, she had a career as an educator in Southern California. Now, semi-retired, Ms. Hoffman leads an active, outdoor lifestyle, continues to advocate for the environment and travels. She is especially fond of art, film, cultural events and is an ardent, live music fan. She loves adventure travel including camping, hiking, kayaking, rafting and road biking.

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