'HUMAN' THE MOVIE: Genesis

Discover what inspired Yann Arthus-Bertrand to make this movie

HUMAN

HUMAN THE MOVIE

Yann Arthus-Bertrand, HUMAN's DirectorHUMAN

The Film Director

Yann Arthus-Bertrand, photographer and renowned specialist in aerial imagery, has authored a number of books, including 'Earth from Above', a work translated into 24 languages which has sold more than three million copies. In 2009, he directed his first film, 'HOME'. This status report on the planet attracted more than 600 million viewers worldwide. Available for free on YouTube, the movie continues its career. It is the most important environmental movie of the decade. The great video portraits exhibition '7 Billion Others', shot in 75 countries, was launched in 2009 at the Grand Palais in Paris and then presented throughout the world. It is a personal reflection that spans over more than thirty years and the first step on the path leading Yann Arthus-Bertrand to his project: 'HUMAN'. Yann Arthus-Bertrand is also known for his involvement in the environmental struggle. For five years he hosted the TV show 'Earth from Above', the renowned programme which explored environmental problems, broadcast on France Télévisions public channels. In 2011, together with Michael Pitiot, he made the film 'Planet Ocean'. Their collaboration continued through several projects, including the well known 'Terra', which will be released at the end of 2015. Since 2005 and the creation of his GoodPlanet Foundation, Yann Arthus-Bertrand has showed great commitment to environmental education, as well as to the struggle against climate change and its consequences. This commitment earned him an appointment as ‘Goodwill Ambassador’ for the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), on 22nd April, 2009.

Yann Arthus-BertrandHUMAN

‘I am a human being among seven billion others. For 40 years, I have photographed our planet and human diversity and I feel that Humankind has not moved forward. We cannot live together yet.
It is in their faces, in their gazes, in their words that I now see a strong way to plunge into the depth of the human soul. Each human interaction makes you move forward. Each life story is unique. By plunging into the experience of the Other, I felt the urge to understand.
And in the end, what is a human being today?
What is the meaning of human life?
Are our differences so great?
Don’t we share more values ​​than we think?
I felt the urge to ask all these questions, to speak about Humankind. A crazy, utopian bet. With my team, we started our quest with great humility and restraint. For two years we travelled across 50 countries, shot more than 2000 interviews... we travelled to meet with Others. There were those who talked and especially those who never talked before. Those who told their life stories for the first time.
By placing at the heart of the movie the evils of Humankind: poverty, war, migration, homophobia, I made choices. Committed, political ​​choices. People told me all sorts of things: from their difficulty to grow, to love, to happiness. It is all this wealth of human expression, which is the heart of 'HUMAN', and which resonates with the images of the beauty of the world.
This movie brings the voice of all men and women who told me their life story. It is has become their messenger. I made the movie I dreamt of, my greatest wish is that everyone takes hold of it in their own way, organise screenings and become Ambassadors of Living Together!’
Yann Arthus-Bertrand

HUMAN de Yann Arthus-BertrandHUMAN

Yann Arthus-Bertrand reveals the origin of 'HUMAN' from previous projects

Book "Earth from above", 2005HUMAN

'Earth from Above', 2005

Yann Arthus-Bertrand’s work 'Earth From Above' was a huge success with the general public with nearly three million books sold in twenty-four languages since the first publication of this work in 1999. Yann Arthus-Bertrand has never stopped photographing the Earth, which he loves so much; and he regularly updates this work.

TV Show "Vu du Ciel", 2006-2011HUMAN

TV Show 'Earth from Above', 2006-2011

'Earth From Above' is a series of 15 documentaries (plus a special Copenhagen episode) of 90 minutes each, presented by Yann Arthus-Bertrand and dedicated to the major challenges faced by our planet. It was broadcasted on France 2 and France 3, French national television.

"Home, the movie", 2009HUMAN

Directed and commented by Yann Arthus-Bertrand and composed exclusively of aerial images, 'HOME' plunges viewers into an extraordinary visual journey around the world.

One of a kind, the film addresses environmental issues from a different perspective, giving viewers the opportunity to see for themselves how our Earth is changing.

Covering 54 countries and 120 locations, the film captures the most impressive landscapes on Earth, showing off its incomparable beauty while acknowledging its vulnerability.

Since its launch on 5th June 2009, World Environment Day, the 118 minutes movie has attracted over 600 million people on all audio visual media: cinema, television, DVD and Internet.
Directed and commented by Yann Arthus-Bertrand and composed exclusively of aerial images, 'HOME' plunges viewers into an extraordinary visual journey around the world.

Exhibition at the Grand Palais, "6 billion Others". Paris, France, 2009HUMAN

Grand Palais Exhibition, ‘6 billion Others’. Paris, France, 2009

The Paris exhibition was a resounding success: 29th most visited exhibition worldwide in 2009 and the first French exhibition in the category of contemporary art. In October 2011, the project ‘6 billion Others’ became ‘7 billion Others’ to take into account the global population increase.

7 billion Others - TeaserHUMAN

'7 billion Others' project teaser

Credits: Story

Thank You:

Florent Gilard
Nuno Pires
Mélina Huet
Valentin Wattelet
Sterenn Hall

Photos:

Yann Arthus-Bertrand
Aurélie Miquel

A GoodPlanet Foundation & Bettencourt Schueller Foundation Production in partnership with the Google Cultural Institute

Credits: All media
The story featured may in some cases have been created by an independent third party and may not always represent the views of the institutions, listed below, who have supplied the content.

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