Catching the Sun

The 2015 documentary film, directed by American filmmaker Shalini Kantayya, explores the rise of the solar energy industry and its impact on various communities in the United States and abroad. The film opens with the 2012 Chevron refinery fire in Richmond, California, highlighting the environmental and economic challenges associated with traditional energy sources. In contrast, it showcases the opportunities that solar energy presents for job creation and sustainable development. The narrative focuses on several key figures: unemployed workers in Northern California undergoing training in solar panel installation through the Solar Richmond program; Van Jones, an activist and founder of Green for All, who accepts a position at the White House but soon faces political challenges leading to his resignation; conservative activist Debbie Dooley from Atlanta, Georgia, who, through her organization Conservatives for Energy Freedom, advocates for clean energy, emphasizing that renewable energy aligns with free-market principles and is not solely a liberal prerogative. The film also highlights the international context by featuring Chinese entrepreneur Zhongwei Jiang from Wuxi, who grew up without electricity until the age of eight, founded WesTech in 2003, and dreams of creating a "Solar City" in Texas. Through these stories, the film illustrates how various communities and individuals worldwide are engaging in the transition to solar energy, overcoming political, economic, and social barriers. "Catching the Sun" underscores that the development of clean energy does not necessitate sacrificing economic prosperity but can instead foster job creation and sustainable growth. The film premiered at the Los Angeles Film Festival in June 2015, with its global release on Netflix occurring on Earth Day, April 22, 2016. It received critical acclaim and was honored with the Best Feature award at the San Francisco Green Film Festival in 2016.