Director Statement
After working together as a filmmaking team for over a decade making 14 environmental movies, we wanted to make a film that would be a game-changer for the global environmental movement. We wanted the film to be based on science, to be inspiring and to be something that audiences love to watch together in movie theaters. Ultimately, we wanted it to transform the global conversion from despair around our world to hope for our future.
KISS THE GROUND was born from one simple idea: we can reverse global warming and the Earth’s soil is the solution. By regenerating earth, we can completely and rapidly stabilize our planet’s climate, restore lost ecosystems, and create abundant food supplies.
We shot footage on five continents, worked with NASA and NOAA to gain access to data and graphics, and spend years on animations. We found the voice of the movie through interviewing leading scientists, ecologists, and experts including Nobel Laureates in climate, members of the International Panel on Climate Change, top scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA), as well as environmental activists such as Gisele Bundchen, Tom Brady, Jason Mraz, Ian Somerhalder, Patricia Arquette, and Rosario Dawson.
After 7 years of hard work, we believe this film is an urgent call to action in addressing the world’s climate crisis. Finally, there is an accessible, relatively simple solution to humanity’s greatest challenge. It is our dream that it will be viewed by audiences in every part of the world for years to come and we would be honored if you and your festival would join us on this mission.
Josh and Rebecca Tickell,
Directors and Producers of KISS THE GROUND
Josh & Rebecca Tickell
Directors
JOSH TICKELL is an author, film director and expert on sustainability.
In 1997 Tickell captured global attention by driving a French Fry oil-powered “Veggie Van” across the United States and jumpstarting the biodiesel revolution.
His journey culminated in 2008 with the release of his first feature film, FUEL. FUEL won the Sundance Audience Award for Best Documentary, was shortlisted for an Oscar, was screened in the White House and was released theatrically globally. Tickell and his wife and directing partner, Rebecca Tickell have released a number of award-winning environmental films including, The Big Fix and PUMP, Good Fortune and The Earthing Movie.
In 2017, Tickell published his book, Kiss the Ground, How the Food You Eat Can Reverse Climate Change, Heal Your Body and Ultimately Save the World. An Amazon Bestseller in four categories, Kiss the Ground details how the effects of climate change can be reversed through regenerating the worlds soils. After 7 years of work, 2020 is the perfect year to launch Kiss the Ground (the documentary) narrated by environmental activist and actor, Woody Harrelson.
Josh’s most recent book, The Revolution Generation – How Millennials can Save the World Before It’s Too Late, gives young people the tools they need to reshape political power, change the climate conversation and, to save Planet Earth’s ecosystems. The documentary of the same title is hosted and narrated by Michelle Rodriguez.
REBECCA HARRELL TICKELL was on the basement floor of a monastery, covered in buckets of goo while giving birth to a giant squid-like baby that was trying to eat her. At that moment, the actress knew she was ready for a career change.
As a young girl, Rebecca had a lead role in the Christmas classic, Prancer, a film that had touched many people’s lives. Today, Rebecca Tickell is a director, producer, and environmental author and activist. She produced the 2008 Sundance Film Festival Audience award-winning, environmentally themed movie, FUEL, and co-directed/produced The Big Fix, an Official Selection of the 2011 Cannes Film Festival. Rebecca’s 2014 directorial debut (with husband Josh) was the critically acclaimed documentary, Pump, narrated by Jason Bateman. In 2016, Rebecca directed the John Paul DeJoria story, Good Fortune, as well as forthcoming documentaries Kiss the Ground, The Earthing Movie and The Revolution Generation with her husband Josh.
After spending several years investigating and documenting the impact and root cause of the 2010 BP oil spill, Rebecca became ill and was left with permanent damage from exposure to the oil and dispersant in the atmosphere.
Today, Rebecca and Josh live with their two children on a working ranch near Santa Barbara. They are committed to lives of optimal health for themselves, their children, and the planet.
