Watch Inventing Tomorrow

Inventing Tomorrow is a fascinating and inspiring documentary film that follows the journeys of several brilliant teenage scientists from around the world as they tackle some of the most pressing environmental issues facing our planet today. Directed by Laura Nix, the film takes us on an eye-opening global journey as we witness these young innovators using their intelligence, passion, and creativity to develop innovative solutions to some of humanity's greatest challenges.

The film's central characters are a group of ambitious young scientists who are finalists in the International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), the world's largest science competition for high school students. Their projects range from developing a new method to detect mercury pollution in Indonesian waters, to creating a system to filter stormwater run-off in a polluted neighborhood in Mexico City, to devising a way to use bacteria to break down plastic waste in Mumbai's landfills.

One of the most striking things about the film is the incredible diversity of the young scientists it follows. We meet Sahithi Pingali, a young woman from Bangalore, India, who is developing an app to monitor air quality in her city; Jared Goodwin, a Native American from Kentucky, who is studying the effects of mountaintop coal mining on water quality; and Nuha Anfaresi, a young woman from Jakarta, Indonesia, who is investigating the prevalence of mercury in the fish that her community relies on for food.

Despite their different backgrounds and challenges, these young scientists all share a deep commitment to making a positive impact on the world around them. As the film follows them from their home countries to the ISEF finals in Los Angeles, we see them grapple with the difficulties of doing field research in developing countries, navigating cultural differences, and finding funding and support for their projects.

But the film also shows us the moments of sheer excitement and joy that come with scientific discovery. We see the young scientists light up as they uncover new information, make breakthroughs, and get validation for their hard work.

Inventing Tomorrow is not only a powerful tribute to the young scientists it follows, but also a call to action for all of us. Through the stories of these young innovators, we see the urgency and hope of finding solutions to some of the most pressing environmental issues of our time. We are reminded that it is possible to take action, even in the face of daunting challenges, and that science can be a powerful tool for change.

The film is beautifully shot and expertly edited, seamlessly weaving together the stories of the young scientists with stunning footage of their environments and interviews with experts in the field. The music, composed by Laura Karpman, adds an emotional depth to the film, underscoring the urgency and passion of the young scientists' work.

Inventing Tomorrow is a film that deserves to be seen by audiences of all ages and backgrounds. It is a powerful, uplifting, and deeply human story about the potential of science and the resilience of the human spirit. More than that, it is a rallying cry to all of us to take action on behalf of our shared planet, and to never lose hope that a better future is possible.

Inventing Tomorrow is a 2018 documentary with a runtime of 1 hour and 26 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 7.1 and a MetaScore of 68.