Telluride Review: This is Not a Drill Provides a Keen Insight into the Ongoing Struggles of Climate Activists

      About an hour into *This is Not a Drill*, the recent documentary directed by Oren Jacoby, a moment occurs that is both stark and disconcerting. While sitting beside her daughter, Louisiana climate activist Roishetta Ozane inquires about her opinion on the LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) plants located near their home. Her daughter replies, “If you don’t get the industry to stop, that will be the reason the world ends.” Although her response is alarming, it also carries a sense of hope. Ozane acknowledges this duality in her reaction. On one side lies the apocalyptic responsibility; on the other, there exists the optimism that someone like Roishetta Ozane might prevent an oil company from destroying the world as we understand it.

      Jacoby divides his concise and impactful film into three narratives. First, we follow Ozane in Lake Charles, Louisiana, as she engages with her new community. As she seeks to mobilize against the gas companies, she and her neighbors are also recovering from the recent hurricanes (both Hurricane Laura and Delta struck within weeks in 2020) that devastated their town. The hurricanes are themselves a consequence of climate change, significantly fueled by those same gas companies.

      In Boxtown, Memphis, Justin J. Pearson and residents join forces to halt Plains All American Pipeline and Valero Energy from constructing a crude oil pipeline through their neighborhood. This initiative was ignited by Byhalia agent Wyatt Price's comment that "we took a point of least resistance" when asked why the pipeline would not traverse more affluent communities but rather the less wealthy, predominantly Black neighborhoods such as Boxtown. Price’s brutally honest and nefarious statement inspired Pearson, who in turn rallied others to take action.

      Lastly, in Dallas, Sharon Wilson, a former oil and gas industry employee, teams up with local journalists and activists to gather evidence of hazardous oil-drilling practices, including fracking.

      *This is Not a Drill* has a runtime of just 78 minutes before the credits roll. It gets straight to the point. Jacoby does not aim to persuade anyone that climate change is real; it unquestionably is, and we are currently experiencing its effects. Instead, this documentary highlights those who continue to fight—individuals and small groups who persist against corporations with overwhelming advantages.

      There are appearances from Wade Archer, founder of Protect Our Aquifer, and former Vice President Al Gore, who commend Pearson and his team’s efforts in Memphis. Pearson is now a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives. We meet community members striving to rebuild after storms and others battling to protect their land from the threat of eminent domain. One story concludes with success, while others face setbacks. Nevertheless, the fight continues. The concluding text, which situates any progress within the context of the new administration, is sobering. *This is Not a Drill* serves as a well-crafted reminder that this cause is still worth the struggle.

      *This is Not a Drill* made its premiere at the 2025 Telluride Film Festival.