Herenthout (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Journalist Eric Goens presents his documentary ‘2050’, which is now available for cinema screenings starting today. The authority responsible for directing the movie is Kristof Van Den Bergh from Herenthout.
The climate documentary ‘2050’, directed by Kristof Van Den Bergh from Herenthout, premieres in cinemas today. Through a documentary produced by Eric Goens, journalist viewers witness how climate change afflicts Antarctica by revealing its delicate fields of ice. According to Van Den Bergh, he regarded his Antarctic experience as a space exploration mission even though he endured freezing temperatures measuring at -50 degrees Celsius.
“I think that nowhere in the world can you shoot such imaginative images as there,”
He says, emphasising the unique opportunity to capture the continent’s beauty and its vulnerability to climate change.
“Antarctica has a great attraction for almost everyone,”
Says Kristof Van Den Bergh.
“That’s going on a trip to another planet. It’s been a fantastic challenge. I think I only had to think for 5 seconds before I said yes.”
“It is given to few to get permission to go there. First there is a whole checklist to be ticked off. In that respect it was certainly a unique opportunity.”
The first thing Kristof noticed was the silence.
“That is something you can experience almost nowhere else in the world. No birds, nothing. You feel completely alone in the world. It was ‘a dream come true’. I don’t think you can shoot such imaginative images anywhere else in the world. I am so happy that I got the chance and I am also very happy with the result.”
“Greenland, at the North Pole, is already a bit of a wreck. We are now also seeing that the melting of the ice at the South Pole is starting to happen faster and faster. I didn’t know it was happening so fast. One of the scientific tests that we were able to follow there opened my eyes. The increasingly warmer ocean water is eating away at the ice shelf from underneath. That also has major consequences for rising sea levels.”
“Apart from the beautiful nature images, there is also a big piece of history in it,”
Says Kristof.
“We also tell the story of Adrien de Gerlache who went to Antarctica with the Belgica more than 125 years ago for the very first scientific expedition. They were also stuck in the ice for a year.”
First, camera tests were done to find out what the film material could handle.
“We were also in a snowstorm, the perceived temperature in heavy wind drops to -40, even -50. If you stand outside for a while, your lens can freeze. We could film for 5 minutes, then had to warm up inside, wait half an hour and go outside again. That was the most difficult challenge.”
“You also have to trust the expedition leaders like Alain Hubert completely. You can’t intervene yourself. We also had to deviate from our course. You can’t see your hand in front of your eyes. It’s one big, white room that you drive through. If you know that large ravines of more than 100 meters deep can form in Antarctica, then you know that we were lucky.”
“We did a lot of research on people and stories, but it is impossible to work according to a predetermined scenario in those circumstances. The weather can change 5 times a day. Every day we got something extra that we could not have foreseen, but which made the film even more unique.”
“The documentary is a good mix of relaxation and the message we want to bring. It has everything to spread internationally. It is a global message and the film has a level to score beyond national borders. Now a rest period, although this week I joined the former leaders of the Chiro in the carnival procession of Herenthout. That was good.”
What is the background of the Climate Documentary ‘2050’?
The climate documentary ‘2050’, directed by Kristof Van Den Bergh from Herenthout, Belgium, highlights the urgent issue of climate change through the lens of Antarctica’s rapidly changing ice landscapes. Journalist Eric Goens made a film that documented the team’s Antarctic expedition under conditions that felt like -50 degrees Celsius to them.
Van Den Bergh emphasises the scientific significance of their work, noting, “The increasingly warmer ocean water is eating away at the ice shelf from underneath,” which accelerates ice melt and contributes to rising sea levels. A documentary recounts Antarctic exploration history by examining the efforts of Adrien de Gerlache throughout his first scientific expedition 125 years ago.
