BEAT THE HEAT is the documentary about the KlimaSeniorinnen – the association of Swiss senior women who took their country to court over climate inaction and won. In April 2024, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that Switzerland had violated their right to climate protection, a judgment now recognised as a landmark for climate and human rights worldwide.
This autumn, the KlimaSeniorinnen are bringing their story and the film on tour across Europe. The European Tour uses screenings of BEAT THE HEAT as an entry point for encounters between the KlimaSeniorinnen and the wider climate movement, turning their legal victory into momentum for political change.
Watch the Trailer
BEAT THE HEAT is a courtroom thriller and underdog story. At its core, it is a hopeful and, at times, funny film. It follows a group of women who refuse to be defined by the crisis they face – women who, by their own account, have never lost their sense of humour along the way. At a moment when the world is dominated by bad news, their story is a rare and welcome one: proof that ordinary people, organised and persistent, can win.
Find a screening near you
Organised by Greenpeace and partner organisations and building on the landmark European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) ruling that established climate protection as a fundamental right, the tour uses the film as a catalyst to connect the Swiss senior women activists with national and local movements, building collective power across borders to demand systemic change and a just future for everyone.
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Why the tour and why now?
Switzerland has yet to fully implement the ECtHR ruling, and Council of Europe member states are under increasing pressure to review and strengthen their national climate policies. Following a summer of intense heatwaves that underscored the immediacy of the crisis – and, among other things, its huge health-impacts – this tour harnesses collective power ahead of upcoming implementation reviews at the Committee of EU-Ministers. By bringing the story of the KlimaSeniorinnen directly to key European capitals, the campaign unites civil society and local activists to demand that governments turn legal precedent into real-world protection.
What can audiences expect?
Each tour stop features a screening of Beat the Heat, followed by engaging live dialogues with a delegation of the KlimaSeniorinnen, legal experts, academics, scientists, and filmmakers. These events create an interactive space to bridge the Swiss precedent with local climate struggles, demonstrating the strength of people power across generations and affirming that ambitious climate action is a fundamental human right. Grounded in the courage and determination of the Swiss senior activists, every gathering serves to motivate and inspire action, energising audiences to pursue climate justice and government accountability.
Countries involved so far: UK, Germany, France, Norway, Sweden, Belgium, Spain, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Romania.
