Liter of Light, a Filipino-born global grassroots solar lighting movement, will have a world premiere for its pioneering environmental film, Theory of Light, on March 27 in front of 200 dignitaries and guests at the Opportunity Forum at the EXPO2020 in Dubai.
With the theme of “Connecting Minds, Creating the Future,” EXPO2020 is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to share the impact of a Philippine innovation in coming together despite the challenges and building resilient communities with a diverse audience committed to Sustainability.
Part historical chronicle, part environmental lesson, Theory of Light shows how Liter of Light is reinvigorating efforts to take action on climate change from the safety of home and inspiring new generations of innovators from the Global South to come up with ideas that will change the world.
“Most media coverage to date focuses on the receiving effects of the climate crisis; as victims and stops there,” says Filipino-Italian Illac Diaz, Founder and Executive Director of Liter of Light.
“Filipinos are admired for our resilience, but rarely do stories focus on the rising up, building back and innovative solutions that communities themselves have developed to take dramatic action. In fact, only 1 percent of all global expenses for filmmaking are spent on the environment and the growing climate crisis. With this documentary, we want to flip the script, and share stories of common humanity and hope that inspires others to make urgent and right decisions for the people and planet,” Diaz added.
The film is produced and distributed by TBA Studios. Known for its critically-acclaimed and groundbreaking films, TBA Studios cemented its status as one of the top production companies in the Philippines with its big-budget epics and major box office hits such as Heneral Luna and Goyo: Ang Batang Heneral.
The development of the film was supported by a grant from SM Prime Holdings, Inc. The project is an official partnership with the office of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Manila Observatory, the key research institution on climate change in the Philippines.
Filmmaker J.P. Gopez, whose works include documentaries for National Geographic and TBA Studios’ legacy docu-series Habambuhay: Remembering 100 Years of Philippine Cinema, helmed the project. It is also executive produced by Liter of Light founder Illac Diaz, SM Prime President Hans Sy, TBA Studios CEOs E. A. Rocha, and Fernando Ortigas with TBA’s Executive Vice-President and General Manager Daphne Chiu and Film Development Manager Margie Navarro co-producing.