The Anthropocene Trilogy

Jennifer Baichwal, Edward Burtynsky, and Nick de Pencier’s Anthropocene trilogy—comprised of Manufactured Landscapes, Watermark, and ANTHROPOCENE: The Human Epoch—are an essential testament to how human beings have radically, rapidly, and dangerously reshaped the face of the natural world. Timed to the opening of The Great Acceleration, a retrospective of Burtynsky’s photography work at the International Center of Photography which sees him exploring similar concerns via the still image, we welcome the trio of Canadian filmmakers to Metrograph to screen and discuss these vital, disturbing nonfiction documents.

“The Anthropocene Trilogy represents nearly two decades of work capturing humanity’s indelible mark on the planet. In today’s escalating climate crisis, these films are more urgent than ever, offering a powerful visual reckoning that compels us to see, understand, and rethink our impact. I’m honored to be bringing them back to New York, where I hope they spark critical conversations and inspire meaningful change.” —Edward Burtynsky

“When Manufactured Landscapes, which I had not seen in years, was recently shown in Toronto, I was relieved and proud to see that it still resonates. It seems that with the current political climate, with the removal of any reference to climate change on US government websites, with the gutting of environmental laws, and the recent devastating fires in Los Angeles, this trilogy of films are still urgently relevant. We need to be reminded of the scale of our taking and that there are ways to live in harmony with our beautiful planet, which is also our (only) home.” —Jennifer Baichwal

In collaboration with ICP and the upcoming exhibition “Edward Burtynsky: The Great Acceleration,” opening June 19.