Last year, non -profit group good Energy launched what it called one Bechdel -Test for climate changeAnalyze this year’s Oscar -Nominated to see which films cover Climate change – or at least refer to it as part of reality. Only three films passed the first test and among the nominees of 2025, only one single film Earns as a reminder of the influence climate change has in our environment.
That movie is’The wild robot“Nominated for Best animated feature on this year’s OscarsAnd it is the only one of 11 different films (out of 30 Oscar-nominated functions) that fulfilled Good Energy’s requirements as to whether a film should recognize the presence of climate change: 1) that is placed on earth and 2) takes place in present, latest past or close future. (We let the element “near future” in “Wild Robot” just slip a little.)
Only “The Wild Robot” did two simple things needed to pass the real test: “The Wild Robot” showed a world where there is clear climate change, and that a character in the film knows it.
It is a jeck of a representation as well. “The Wild Robot” includes a wonderful moment of world building where whales can be seen swimming over the remains of the Golden Gate Bridge – that’s how much the tide has risen. Good energy also designated one Special scene in “The Wild Robot” Where the protagonist Robot Rozzum finds a travel pam on the ground that reads “Florida – more shoreline than ever!” It is a castish joke, but good energy tickled that the animators took the time to make the brochure’s map resemble projected sea level increase.
“It is the world we enter ‘The Wild Robot’, where the climate impact and situations-from sea level arise to hints that people have isolated in climate-safe, dome cities-is subtly woven in the fabric in history,” the good energy study as Analyzes the various nominated readings.
The film passed its test even though the words “climate change” are not explicitly spoken, but the animals recognize all the threatening “worst storm I have ever seen”, and that “cooperation and compassion is the way to survive our climate future,” as the study adds.
The other ten films that met Good Energy’s qualified criteria to even take the Bechdel test of variety include “A Different Man”, “A Real Pain”, “Anora”, “Conclave”, “Emilia Pérez,” “Inside Out 2 “,” “Sing Sing”, “Seed from the Holy Figure” and “The Substance.” None of these films are environmental Parables in the same way that “The Wild Robot” is, but good energy claims to just represent climate change through relaxed references in a story helps to mark a movie in reality and raise awareness to the public about the urgency in the matter.
Among the 2025’s nominated Good Energy also proclaimed “Flow”, “Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes” and “Dune: Part Two” as other films that explore climate themes, even if they did not meet the qualified criteria. Last year, Oscar was nominated who checked both boxes with Good Energy’s Test “Barbie”, “Mission: Impossible – Dead Reckoning Part 1” and “Nyad.”
Anna Jane Joyner, founder and CEO of Good Energy, said she believes that Hollywood has found ways to talk about climate change in movies without taking stories about ecotherans or “neighbors screaming at you about your recycling.”
“After an upcoming year where we all experienced the climate crisis, we desperately need more stories that help us find meaning and courage before it,” Joyner said. “‘The Wild Robot’ is an enchanting portrayal of life at the age of climate change – a gripping exploration of resilience, overcome fear and differences and the power of society in an uncertain world. While we look forward to the day when more Oscar-nominated films reflect our reality, we could not be more pleased that a story with such artistry and emotional depth has done so this year. “
See the full good energy study here.
