Climate change, globalization, the economy — can movies save the world?

Klaus Schwab, founder of the World Economic Forum in Davos, speaks with Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in a scene from "The Forum" by director Marcus Vetter. The documentary is one of several films currently focusing on topical debates around the world about the global economy, climate change and globalization. The films are designed to present the audience with facts.

"2040" by Australian director Damon Gameau also looks at the state the world is in and gives a glimpse of the possible future. Gameau comes to the conclusion that despite all its crises, the world is not lost, that people must turn to already existing ideas about climate protection, agriculture and energy production — and make use of them.

His daughter inspired him to make a documentary, says Australian director Damon Gameau, arguing that today's adults have a responsibility to the world's children. They will have to live in the world that earlier generations left them, he says. The film explores what the world might look like in 2040.

Director Erwin Wagenhofer takes a close look at the state of the world as well. He is one of several documentary filmmakers who are optimistic about the future. This may surprise some viewers, but what choice do people have? Putting your head in the sand is not an alternative, so Wagenhofer portrays people who set a good example.

In "Human Nature: The CRISPR Revolution," director Adam Bolt looks at the risks and possibilities of genetic research — primarily concerned with the opportunities that this research offers in the fight against diseases. According to experts interviewed in the film, the breakthrough in genetic research is a greater transformation than the digital revolution.

Unlike other documentaries, "Bamboo Stories" does not look at the big picture. Instead, director Shaheen Dill-Riaz fouses on bamboo raftsmen in Bangladesh, on their lives and needs. A single issue perhaps, but the audience is free to make the leap from that smaller world and associate it with the world as a whole.

Environment, climate and economy are inseparable — and that is an important topic in many documentaries. The film "Capital in the 21st Century" looks at economic history over the past 400 years. New Zealand director Justin Pemberton tackled the Herculean task of filming Thomas Piketty's international nonfiction best-seller as a documentary.

Climate change, environmental policy, economic connections and disenchantment with politics: everything is interconnected. At least that is the impression audiences take away from watching the documentaries. At best, films like "The Forum" (above) might help people understand a few connections and not to take an overly pessimistic view of the future.