Dorst is a local independent filmmaker whose latest documentary, “Shattered Sky,” is premiering Sunday in D.C.’s Environmental Film Festival. The documentary tells the story of the leadership role America took upon discovery of the hole in the ozone layer in the 1970s.
What inspired you?
Well, I was inspired to do the film during the second term of George W. Bush. It was the 20th anniversary of the international ozone treaty [the Montreal Protocol]. We saw the coverage and how people were calling it the most successful treaty in history. And Dan, my co-writer, and I thought it would be interesting to explore.
Did you learn anything unexpected along the way?
Almost every month we ran into something unexpected… I personally interviewed almost everyone on the front lines of the ozone issue, from Nobel Prize-winning scientists to the head of the EPA [Environmental Protection Agency] in Reagan’s cabinet. I personally interviewed the CEO of Duke Energy, which is our country’s largest utility. So I’ve learned a lot along the way about government and business incentives to change.
How long did the film take to produce?
We started the research and preproduction in 2007. I interviewed George Shultz in 2007. He was Ronald Reagan’s Secretary of State… When I talked to him he said it was one of his proudest moments to get that treaty [the Montreal Protocol] through… This was when the [Berlin] Wall fell and when the Soviet Union was collapsing and a lot of other things were going on — you know the late 1980s — so to have him say that, it was really motivating.
You’ve produced some other films as well. Can you describe your genre?
I’m not a green filmmaker. I’m not a sports filmmaker. I’m just a filmmaker looking for good stories and hoping that some of those stories make a difference.
— Courtney Zott
