Jacqueline Zünd's 'Heat' Offers Sensory Immersion into Climate Inequality at Visions du Réel

Jacqueline Zünd’s new documentary, ‘Heat,’ premiering at Visions du Réel, confronts climate change not through data but through a visceral, sensory experience. The film highlights the stark inequalities of global warming, featuring a Kuwaiti meteorologist’s chilling line, “Heat is like a death sentence,” to underscore the existential threat faced by vulnerable populations. Zünd aims to immerse audiences in the lived realities of rising temperatures, revealing the present-day dystopia many experience. By focusing on the emotional and physical impact, ‘Heat’ seeks to foster empathy and move beyond abstract understanding of the crisis. Premiering in the festival's main competition, the film positions itself as a powerful artistic statement on the human cost of climate change and a call to confront its unequal burden. It challenges viewers to feel the urgency and recognize the profound injustices inherent in the escalating global crisis.