Actor James Norton has helped laanch a new series of short online films, designed to explore the connections between human health and the health of the planet.
The actor said each of the films in the Planet Health Stories series are “stories of hope” which explore the link between personal health and climate.
The film series has been developed by healthcare provider Bupa and Earthrise Studio, and bring together 12 filmmakers from six different countries, to explore themes of access to green spaces, mental health and community.
Norton added he himself has a “huge reliance on nature and the natural world”, having grown up in the North Yorkshire countryside and being a Type 1 diabetic, in an interview before the launch event in London.
“I’m aware how a dose of nature literally keeps my glucose levels more stable,” the actor, who is best known for his roles in the television drama’s Grantchester and Happy Valley, told me.
“It’s a self-sustaining cycle, with my little ecosystem being linked to the greater ecosystem of nature.”
Norton said many people who live in cities have never been into the countryside, and so will not necessarily appreciate the physical and mental health benefits of being in nature, or how it affects their lives.
The actor added it was frustrating how many people do not make the link between personal and planet health.
“It’s complete nonsense to think that we are separate from nature and there is not really a membrane between us. It is easy to understand and forgive where that misconception comes from, and I guess thais is why these films are so important.”
One of the films – ‘Rudeboy’ – tells the story of Nadeem Perera, who grew up on a council estate in inner-city London and has since become one of the U.K’s most recognisable advocates for nature and inclusion.
Another features U.S. storyteller Aditi Mayer, who bridges her Punjabi heritage with her life in Los Angeles through the act of growing – weaving together soil, memory, and care.
The co-founder of Earthrise Studio, Alice Aedy said the films have been specifically curated for the large number of young people who are curious about climate change and the links with their own health, in an interview.
Aedy added the films also feel deeply personal, which she hopes will resonate with the audience.
“What’s exciting to me about these stories is they are hopeful,” she told me. “They show how we can be healthier, and our cities and our planet can be healthier too.
“There’s not a lot of climate storytelling out there which is so deeply optimistic, and I think the challenge to tell hopeful stories is actually greater now than it’s ever been.
“We can all agree that on the benefits of nature for us, for our health, for our mental wellbeing, and our physical wellbeing,” said Aedy.
“So, for me, this project takes a very exciting approach, and I think an increasingly necessary one, to talk about climate through a health lens.”
Bupa’s group brand director, Fiona Bosman said it was important to have a diverse range of filmmakers and subjects, because it highlights how we are all united through personal health.
Bosman added she hopes more people will make the connection between personal and planet health after watching the films.
“Our big mission is to show the world that you cannot be healthy without a healthy planet, and if each of us took a tiny step to doing something it could be a powerful route to change,” she told me.
