The Island President

Since Mohamed "Anni" Nasheed became the first freely elected president of the Maldives in 2008, following a peaceful revolution, he has made it his goal to get the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions on the global agenda. And the situation is serious, because the nearly 2,000 Maldive islands are being engulfed by the sea at an alarming rate. Nasheed spent 18 months in solitary confinement during his country's 30-year dictatorship, and he isn't afraid of getting his hands dirty. This documentary follows the amiable and invariably upbeat president in the months leading up to the 2009 UN climate conference in Copenhagen. We watch as Anni pulls off one playful publicity stunt after another, even holding his first cabinet meeting underwater. And he lobbies to the point of exhaustion in efforts to ensure a good deal in Copenhagen. His aim? To drive back CO2 emissions to 350 parts per million. His greatest opponents? China and India. With its nerve-racking negotiations, ad hoc compromises, and attempts to placate discontented supporters, the film unfolds like a Hollywood movie, leading us inexorably towards the climax. Nasheed's mission gains momentum with the aid of inspired camera work and a powerful soundtrack from Stars of the Lid and Radiohead.