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India, Mexico, Indonesia · 2019
1h 27m
Director Laura Nix
Starring
Genre Documentary
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A documentary deep dive that looks at the passionate teenage innovators and scientists from around the world who are working to create cutting-edge solutions to confront the world's most dire environmental threats. Although framed around the International Science and Engineering Fair, the stakes are much higher than a first prize trophy.
Village Voice by Daphne Howland
We’re privy to the students’ backgrounds and get a tiny glimpse into their futures, but the film skims a lot in favor of showcasing the ISEF gathering. Still, as in the spelling-bee doc, these are moving stories of nerdy children, kids who are pragmatic about the forward march of industry yet believe societies can, and must, find cleaner ways to advance.
The Hollywood Reporter by David Rooney
The optimism of Inventing Tomorrow is quite uplifting, with dauntless teenage thinkers from diverse cultural and economic backgrounds working with resourcefulness and imagination to develop practical solutions to local eco threats.
The New York Times by Glenn Kenny
By framing the movie as a multipronged narrative that eventually culminates in the big event of the fair itself, it risks prosaicness. But the subjects are winning and heartening, and their mission is one you just can’t take issue with.
Inventing Tomorrow won’t win points for originality, but this snapshot of adolescent ingenuity and innovation, premiering at the Sundance Film Festival, nonetheless proves equally entertaining and inspiring.
Los Angeles Times by Robert Abele
By the end, as you dry your eyes, it’s their futures you want them to win — as scientists, optimists and change agents — not just a science fair prize.