‘The Story Of Plastic’ Documentary To Premiere On Discovery Channel In Honor Of Earth Day

Denise Petski
·3 min read

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EXCLUSIVE: Discovery Channel will air award-winning documentary The Story of Plastic in honor of Earth Day. An official selection of Mill Valley Film Festival (Audience Award winner) and 2019 DOC NYC, The Story of Plastic looks at the man-made crisis of plastic pollution and the worldwide effect it has on the health of our planet and the people that inhabit it.

Spanning three continents, the film illustrates the ongoing catastrophe: fields full of garbage, veritable mountains of trash; rivers and seas clogged with waste; and skies choked with the poisonous emissions from plastic production and processing. The film features interviews with experts and activists on the frontlines of the fight, revealing the disastrous consequences of the flood of plastic smothering ecosystems and poisoning communities around the world –and the global movement rising up in response. With original animation, archival industry footage starting in the 1930s and first-person accounts, the film distills a complex problem that is increasingly affecting the planet’s and its residents’ well-being, according to Discovery.

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Exact programming details will be forthcoming.

“The issues highlighted in The Story of Plastic illuminate how the decisions made locally can affect us globally,” says Nancy Daniels, Chief Brand Officer, Discovery and Factual. “We are eager to highlight the solutions laid out in the film that will help make our world a cleaner and healthier place to live.”

The film reveals how the plastics industry is simultaneously blaming wasteful consumers for plastic pollution and aggressively investing to produce more single-use plastic than ever before. Reclaiming the narrative, the film highlights that while cleanup is important to understanding the situation, the real solution lies in stopping the mass production of plastic in the first place, according to the filmmakers.

“It was always a priority for us to find the film a home that would amplify the important messages and voices in The Story of Plastic,” said filmmaker Deia Schlosberg, “and Discovery is an ideal partner to make that happen. We are absolutely thrilled to work with the team there to bring the film to audiences across the U.S. and beyond.”

“I have been passionate about this issue for over ten years. The Story of Plastic’s film team has worked tirelessly to show us the truth of what plastic is doing to our planet – the whole planet,” explains co-executive producer and award-winning musician Jackson Browne. “I am proud to be a part of bringing this important film to Discovery.”

Discovery Channel presents The Story of Plastic, presented by The Story Of Stuff Project in association with React To Film; original music by Mike McCready (Pearl Jam) and Cody Westheimer; directed by Deia Schlosberg; produced by Kyle Cadotte, Megan Ponder and Stiv Wilson; co-executive producers, Dianna Cohen, Jackson Browne, and Seven McDonald; Executive Produced by Stiv Wilson, Coralie Charriol-Paul & Dennis Paul, and Michael O’Heaney.

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