In a time when climate emergencies are no longer distant threats but lived realities, the powerful documentary Emergence: Women in the Storm arrives with urgency, compassion, and vision. Presented by Transparent Film in association with the Knowledge Network, the documentary feature will celebrate its world premiere at the Victoria Film Festival on February 11, 2026, screening at the historic Roxy Theatre. The film will then make its Vancouver theatrical debut at the VIFF Centre on February 25, 2026, offering audiences a profound and timely cinematic experience.
Directed by acclaimed filmmakers Nova Ami and Velcrow Ripper, Emergence: Women in the Storm places women at the center of the climate crisis—where they are already leading, responding, and reimagining ways to survive and support one another amid escalating disasters.
Women on the Frontlines of a Climate Emergency
As heat domes, wildfires, and catastrophic flooding increasingly reshape communities across Canada, Emergence: Women in the Storm focuses on the lived experiences of female frontline responders, community leaders, and disaster survivors. The documentary travels through regions deeply affected by recent climate catastrophes, including British Columbia and the Northwest Territories, capturing stories forged in moments of loss, resilience, and transformation.
Rather than framing the climate crisis solely through destruction, the film highlights how women are responding with courage, empathy, and innovation. As first responders, organizers, caregivers, and advocates, they are not only navigating emergency situations but also building new models of collective care and community resilience.
A Survival Guide Rooted in Human Experience
At its core, Emergence: Women in the Storm functions as both a survival guide and a call to collective imagination. Through deeply personal narratives, the documentary examines how individuals and communities adapt when familiar ways of living are disrupted by nature’s growing intensity.
The film captures the instinctive responses triggered by harrowing encounters with climate disaster—responses that reveal humanity’s capacity for cooperation, creativity, and change. By centering women’s perspectives, the documentary offers insights often overlooked in mainstream climate narratives, emphasizing emotional intelligence, relational leadership, and grassroots action.
Creative Vision and Collaboration
The film is written and directed by Nova Ami, known for her thoughtful explorations of social and environmental themes, and Velcrow Ripper, a pioneer of immersive, cinematic documentary storytelling. Their previous collaborations—Metamorphosis and Incandescence—have earned critical acclaim for their poetic and experiential approaches to climate storytelling.
Produced by Nova Ami and executive produced by Patrice Ramsay, Emergence: Women in the Storm is edited by Sarah Hedar, whose work adds narrative clarity and emotional depth. The documentary’s evocative score is composed by Mary Ancheta, while cinematography and sound design are handled by Velcrow Ripper himself, enhancing the film’s immersive quality.
Adding another powerful layer is poetry by Meghan Fandrich, drawn from Burning Sage: Poems from the Lytton Fire (Caitlin Press, 2023). The poetry weaves lyrical reflection into the documentary’s visual storytelling, grounding the film in both grief and hope.
Filmed Across Impacted Communities
The documentary was filmed in multiple locations deeply affected by climate disasters, including Yarrow, Lytton, Boston Bar/Spuzzum, Chilliwack, Abbotsford, Princeton, Osoyoos, Vancouver, and New Westminster in British Columbia, as well as Yellowknife in the Northwest Territories.
These locations serve not just as backdrops, but as active participants in the story—each landscape carrying the scars of fire, heat, and flood, while also bearing witness to recovery and resistance.
A Knowledge Original with Strong Institutional Support
Emergence: Women in the Storm is a Knowledge Original, produced with the participation of the Canada Media Fund, Creative BC, and the Province of British Columbia Production Services Tax Credit, along with the Canadian Film or Video Production Tax Credit. This support underscores the documentary’s cultural importance and its role in fostering public dialogue around climate resilience and social responsibility.
About the Directors
Nova Ami is a Canadian documentary filmmaker of mixed Filipino heritage whose work centers on climate emergency, environmental justice, and the voices of women and diverse communities. Her earlier films include Say I Do, which followed Filipino women who came to Canada as mail-order brides, and Secrets: A Parent’s Guide to Teen Sexuality, broadcast on CBC’s The Passionate Eye.
Velcrow Ripper is renowned for creating cinematic documentaries that explore the spiritual, social, and political challenges of our time. His award-winning works include the Fierce Light Trilogy, ScaredSacred, Occupy Love, and Bones of the Forest. He is also widely respected for his sound design, contributing to influential films such as The Corporation and A Place Called Chiapas.
A Film That Meets the Moment
As climate emergencies continue to redefine how communities live, respond, and rebuild, Emergence: Women in the Storm offers a vital perspective—one rooted in lived experience, compassion, and possibility. By amplifying women’s voices at the forefront of crisis, the documentary invites audiences not only to witness the storm, but to imagine what can emerge from it.
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