Brief
Tom McCarthy’s ‘A Statement’ Debuts at New York Film Festival
The film dramatizes an October 1980 climate‑policy meeting, blending factual transcripts with imagined dialogue.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Tom McCarthy’s new film A Statement opened at the 2026 New York Film Festival, portraying a 24‑hour climate‑policy summit in October 1980. The Observer notes the movie is built from the nonfiction book Losing Earth by Nathaniel Rich and uses real meeting transcripts as its backbone.
What happened
The story unfolds almost entirely in a single conference room where EPA moderator Thomas Jorling (played by Paul Rudd) and scientist Robert Cunningham (Noah Robbins) arrange the meeting’s format. Over the course of one day, the ensemble—nearly two dozen actors including Dylan Baker, Paul Giamatti and Zach Woods—debates rising carbon dioxide levels and long‑term fossil‑fuel curbs. The film intercuts these discussions with imagined after‑hours scenes at a resort in St. Petersburg, Florida, where activists and politicians mingle.
What the reports add
According to the Observer, the film’s setting is deliberately narrow, using the conference‑room confinement to heighten drama while still presenting “dry meeting minutes” as subtitles. The review highlights McCarthy’s “understated verve” and describes the work as a “Brechtian reminder” that the audience is watching a dramatized version of real events. It also points out that the narrative is set just days before Jimmy Carter’s 1980 election loss to Ronald Reagan, framing the summit as a pivotal historical moment.
What was said
The review quotes the film’s fictional stenographer Bernadette, played by Nina Arianda, noting that the camera repeatedly returns to her as she records the proceedings. It also describes Jorling as “personable but firm,” suggesting he serves as a stand‑in for McCarthy’s own directorial control.
How it came about
McCarthy’s adaptation draws on Rich’s book, which chronicles the real 1980 climate‑policy meeting that preceded the Reagan administration’s deregulation agenda. The Observer connects the film to the broader NYFF lineup, which this year includes documentaries on climate‑related topics and historic restorations, underscoring the festival’s focus on politically charged cinema.
Key facts
- Tom McCarthy’s film ‘A Statement’ premiered at the 2026 New York Film Festival. (observer.com)
- The movie is based on Nathaniel Rich’s nonfiction book ‘Losing Earth’ and uses actual 1980 climate‑policy meeting transcripts. (observer.com)
- Paul Rudd plays EPA moderator Thomas Jorling; Nina Arianda plays stenographer Bernadette. (observer.com)
- The narrative is set just days before the 1980 U.S. presidential election that saw Jimmy Carter lose to Ronald Reagan. (observer.com)
Sources
- [1] observer.com — originally reported as “Screening at New York Film Festival: Tom McCarthy’s ‘A Statement’”
