European Premiere of Hollywood Documentary "Legion 44" at Nuremberg's CINEMAGNUM

Nuremberg's CINEMAGNUM at Cinecittà rolled out the red carpet for the premiere of Leila Conners' cinema documentary "Legion 44" on Tuesday evening, welcoming nearly 500 invited guests to the domed hall with its gigantic screen.

Following the film screening, a Q&A session was held with producer and director Leila Conners and members of her team from Los Angeles and New York. Several protagonists of the film were also present, including Fürth entrepreneur Dirk Paessler (CEO of Carbon Drawdown Initiative), who participated as a co-producer and is featured in the film as an entrepreneurial example. Nuremberg-based IT service provider Hemmersbach GmbH sponsored the evening, with CEO Ralph Koczwara attending alongside numerous employees. Many employees of Paessler AG were also in attendance.

The event continued with a reception in the Marble Hall of the Nuremberg Press Club, featuring live music and a festive atmosphere. "What a night, what a screen, that was incredible!" wrote a beaming Leila Conners later that same night.

What is Legion 44 and what is the film about?

"Legion 44 is more than a film; it's a love letter to humanity and the third film on climate by Leila Conners." It poses the question, "Will we initiate real action to stop climate change once and for all?" The film's message is optimistic, asserting that humanity can achieve this by pooling efforts and raising the necessary funds.

The film showcases the consequences and damages caused by climate change. However, it also provides detailed accounts of entrepreneurial activities around the world aimed at stopping climate change. These entrepreneurs share a common premise: To halt climate change, CO2 emissions must be further reduced using all available means. Ultimately, however, these efforts will not be enough to stop global warming. Existing CO2 must be removed from the air and permanently sequestered.

There are various methods for achieving this, all based on natural processes that have regulated greenhouse gas levels in the atmosphere for millions of years. The film tells the stories of the researchers and young entrepreneurs who are supporting and accelerating these processes to combat the climate crisis.

Leila Conners and her team traveled the globe, interviewing entrepreneurs, scientists, and companies. They captured stunning images documenting the destruction and consequences of climate change, as well as the efforts of the aforementioned protagonists. They visited Tuvalu, an island nation in the Pacific threatened by climate change; Mount Kenya; Sligo, Republic of Ireland; Morocco; Canada; Hat Creek, Virginia/USA; North Carolina; Iceland; New York; Zurich; Munich; Freiburg; and last but not least, the Farrnbach Valley in Fürth. She met with the individuals taking action, introducing them and giving them a voice.

The Legion comprises all those who join in, making contributions of any kind to stop climate change and remove CO₂ from the air. It is intended as an alternative for those whose supposed contribution consists of destroying art in museums or gluing themselves to highways. The number 44 refers to the molecular weight of CO₂.

The film powerfully conveys, with compelling arguments and emotional resonance, that climate change is happening globally, affecting everyone (albeit to varying degrees depending on wealth and region), and that every individual is called upon to do their part. Everyone has a role to play. All hands on deck!

Who is Leila Conners?

Leila Conners (born 1967) is the director and producer of the documentary film Legion 44. Conners has been following humanity's struggle with climate change for over 20 years. Her cinematic work is recognized and renowned. Her most famous film is “The 11th Hour” (director, 2007), partly due to the involvement of Leonardo DiCaprio (as producer, actor, and narrator) and Steven Hawkins (as a participant). She followed this with “Ice on Fire”, also produced by Leonardo DiCaprio. Now, she brings us Legion 44 at a crucial moment, raising the question: Will we initiate real action to improve climate change once and for all?

Who is Dirk Paessler?

Dirk Paessler turned his focus on climate after a career in computer software. He is the founder of Paessler (head quartered in Nuremberg). In 2020, he officially founded Carbon Drawdown Initiative GmbH, becoming a very early "member" of the Legion 44 movement (before it could be called that). The small company based in Fürth is focused on promoting research, public relations, and impact investment in the field of "negative emissions." This involves removing carbon from the atmosphere and subsequently storing it long-term: "To achieve the major goal of 'Net Zero' - and thus a reduction of emissions to net zero - this CO2 removal is essential, especially since unavoidable emissions will continue to occur in the future. In a next step, historical emissions should also be reversed in order to lower the current temperature again." "If this does not happen, the too warm climate will persist for millennia" - this is Dirk Paessler's conviction.

Meanwhile, the Carbon Drawdown Initiative has also launched its own Enhanced Weathering project: "Project Carbdown" is being implemented in cooperation with technology companies from the Nuremberg metropolitan region and renowned scientists from various international universities. These include the Alfred Wegener Institute and the universities of Erlangen, Hamburg, Mainz, Würzburg, Copenhagen, and Wageningen. Dirk Paessler and his CTO Ralf Steffens are featured in Legion 44 in both words and images.

Photos © Nicolas Buitrago/Hemmersbach GmbH and H. Dormann