Olivia Colman has voiced her support for a film calling for parts of the English countryside to be returned to nature.
The Oscar-winning actress, 47, said it has “never been as important” to combat climate change and ensure future generations can experience “a world full of beauty”.
Independent short film Deserves To Bloom features British-born, Barbadian-raised poet and performer Safiya Kamaria Kinshasa portraying mother nature in a bid to raise awareness of rewilding and other environmental issues.
Proceeds will go to supporting the work of UK rewilding charity Heal, which aims to create a new rewilding site in every English county.
The Favourite star Colman is among a number of famous names who have thrown their support behind the film.
She said: “I’m thrilled to be supporting Deserves To Bloom. It has never been as important to care about our planet and for us all to do what we can to protect our natural world and to fight climate change.
“The team at Heal are at the forefront of this battle. The work of this amazing organisation will create new places for wild creatures to live safe from harm and help vulnerable species to recover.
“It will also allow future generations to experience a world full of beauty that may otherwise not be able to be enjoyed. I am excited for the future of Heal.”
Writer Caitlin Moran, actor Cel Spellman and chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall are among the celebrities who will show their support for Deserves To Bloom on social media over the coming months.
Director Robbie Sloan conceived the idea for the film as a fundraiser for rewilding in 2019, inspired by his two children and Sir David Attenborough’s public endorsement of rewilding.
Heal launched in March 2020 with the aim of raising money to buy land across the UK and rewild it permanently.
The charity aims to purchase its new foundation site in the south of England by 2022.
Sloan said: “I wanted to bring mother nature to life in a human form and also I wanted to find a woman of colour to play the role.
“It was really important to make the conversation on the climate and nature crises more inclusive, and not just featuring the white middle class.”
Fearnley-Whittingstall said: “The Deserves To Bloom film is a powerful appeal for us all to respect the planet and its wildlife.
“I believe that rewilding can help us combat climate change and address the devastating loss of biodiversity that we’ve been experiencing here in Britain for the last few decades. Supporting Heal will help that happen.”
The film is live on the Heal Rewilding website.
