Paul Rudd calls climate change ‘the issue’ as new film premieres at New York Film Festival

Actor Paul Rudd described climate change as “the issue” of the moment while promoting his new film “A Statement,” telling USA Today, “The clock is certainly ticking quicker.”

The film, directed by “Spotlight” filmmaker Tom McCarthy, premiered Saturday at the New York Film Festival. It re-creates a 1980 gathering of environmental activists, scientists and policymakers at a Florida hotel. Participants were tasked with drafting a statement on how Congress should respond to carbon dioxide emissions and rising global temperatures.

Mr. Rudd plays the conference moderator. The dialogue in the conference-room scenes comes verbatim from transcripts of the actual meetings, which ran over four sessions, according to USA Today. The film also includes scripted scenes set between the sessions, the outlet reported. Mr. McCarthy said during a post-screening Q&A that every word in those conference-room scenes is taken from the transcript, and the audience gasped, USA Today reported.

“Policies are being reversed now,” Mr. Rudd told USA Today on the red carpet. “So hopefully, this movie does spark some conversations.”

He also said climate change “might take care of all” other issues and that it “would really behoove us” to work together. “I’m crossing my fingers,” he said.

Co-star Tatiana Maslany, who plays an environmental lawyer, told USA Today that continued debate over climate change is a “horrendous prospect.” She said, “Now is the time” to act.

The film draws in part on Nathaniel Rich’s 2019 book “Losing Earth,” and Sony Pictures Classics will release it. Mr. McCarthy told the festival audience the “industry wasn’t clamoring” for a conference movie about the climate crisis, USA Today reported.

Mr. Rudd said Mr. McCarthy barred phones from the set, which helped the cast bond. An 18-person group, including Mr. Rudd, Paul Giamatti, John Turturro, Ms. Maslany and Amy Ryan, took the stage for the Q&A.