Photographer Yann Arthus-Bertrand (best known for his work in the book Earth From Above) has joined forces with with producer Luc Besson to create an environmental feature film, Boomerang. Besson hopes to create a film that will show audiences that the world's environmental problems are all linked. The 60 country shoot begins next week on a soy farm in Brazil, where rainforests are cut down to produce feed for livestock in other countries.

What makes this film special isn't the 60 country shoot, but the fact that after Boomerang makes back its original invesment plus ten-percent the film will be available for free distribution. The hope is that with free distribution more people will be able to see the film and benefit from its message.

I couldn't readily find out what the anticipated budget is for the film, but I imagine it will be pretty hefty considering the 60 country trek alone (wonder if it'll be carbon neutral.) While a big budget may take a little time to recoup, it also means the backers are serious about getting their returns sooner than later and have more than likley put aside a chunk of change devoted to promotion and advertising. Plus the involvement of Besson and Bertrand is sure to draw a fair crowd, not to mention the green fever spreading across the world priming audiences for more enviro programs.

It also wasn't clear what Boomerang's distribution channels would be prior to the film going free. Whether it will take the (more or less) traditional distribution model of other enviro films like An Inconvenient Truth and (the much smaller release of) Who Killed the Electric Car? : film festival, theater, dvd. Or whether it will premiere on television, with a subsequent release on DVD or have simultaneous release in multiple markets on multiple media, including the internet.

I expect we'll hear more about Boomerang as production continues, and if nothing else the film will be full of beautifully shot images from around the world.

Via Variety