Age of Stupid opens with an environmentally friendly premiere

The environmental film The Age of Stupid premiered in New Zealand and Australia tonight in solar powered cinemas – or more accurately, tents.

It has been a long road for the film’s Kiwi producer Lizzie Gillett, who had dedicated the past five years to the film.

The journey is not over yet – the filmmakers intend to use it to stir people into action against climate change.

A green reusable astro-turf carpet led celebrities, including Greenpeace Climate Change Ambassador Keisha Castle-Hughes, to Age of Stupid premiere.

“I came by rickshaw and it was quite cool,” says Ms Castle-Hughes.

“I like the green carpet as opposed to the red carpet.”

When you are promoting a film about climate change, you need to watch your carbon laden step.

“All the energy we are using is coming from solar power,” says Ms Gillett.

The film’s premier is being powered through the use of a solar grid, which has been charging for two days.

Ms Gillett has dedicated a sixth of her life to the film, which she says aims to get the issue of climate change into the public consciousness.

“To really show people the urgency of the issue,” she says.

The Age of Stupid uses news clipping of extreme weather events like Hurricane Katrina to get its point across.

In a coup, director Franny Armstrong managed to persuade actor Pete Postlethwaite to come on board for a nominal fee.

“There was this quote from him saying, ‘it’s everybody’s responsibility to do something about climate change,” says Ms Gillett.

“We thought, ‘he might just say yes’.”

The Oscar-nominated actor ties together six lives all linked by crude oil, and climate change.

The New Zealand premier is being held simultaneously with the Australian premiere, and 20 other cinemas all linked by satellite.

The theory is you can cut carbon because, rather than having to travel to one location, movie goers can pick the cinema closest to them.

The aim now is to get 250 million people to watch the film, and be inspired enough to become environmental activists.

The film opens in cinemas tomorrow.

You can watch Samantha Hayes’ extended interview with The Age of Stupid's producer Lizzie Gillett here.