Husband and wife filmmaking duo Joshua and Rebecca Tickell jointly won the Golden Globe Award for Documentary at the 79th Cannes Film Festival in partnership with the Artemis Rising Foundation.
Their film, Groundswell, follows experts, indigenous leaders, and farmers from five continents and shows how regenerative agriculture can restore soil health, pull carbon from the atmosphere, and fight climate change. The jury also recognized the Tickells’ “longstanding contributions to documentary storytelling and unique artistic voices.”
Actor and producer Kelvin Harrison Jr. presented the award at an event held today during the Cannes Film Festival. Sponsored by Think-Film Impact Production, the evening featured panel discussions, an awards ceremony, and a reception celebrating documentary filmmaking. The Tickells were awarded a €10,000 prize from the Artemis Rising Foundation in recognition of their contribution to the documentary field.
In a joint statement, the judges said: “In a world where hope feels bold, Joshua and Rebecca Tickell shine with their dedication to telling stories that engage audiences and provide us with real solutions. Their films stand out in the spotlight. Their remarkable track record of creative work connects us more deeply with the world around us and consistently points to the urgent questions that will shape our collective future.”
Accepting the award, Joshua Tickell said: “Documentary is a genre with incredible staying power, and one that is only accelerating. I’m so honored to have won this award. This is a special moment in time when the world is getting worse and people are looking to solve the environmental crisis.”
Rebecca Tickell added: “This is the most important issue of our time. Climate stability must be our top priority, and for us, storytelling is the way to do that, because storytelling shapes our lives. We are moving away from an era of exploitation. We’re entering an era of regeneration. It was such an honor making this film to see people regenerating their environments in the harshest places. This film is not just a story, it’s a mission. The future belongs to the next generation, and this film is for them. ”
“We all got typhoid, but it was all worth it,” said Athena Tickell, daughter of Joshua and Rebecca.
The awards jury includes Helen Hohne, President of the Golden Globe Awards; Regina K. Scully, Academy Award-winning producer and founder of the Artemis Rising Foundation; Geralyn White-Dreyfuss, Academy Award-winning producer and co-founder of Impact Partners; Daniel Turkoff Wilson, Founder and CEO of Think-Film Impact Production; Actor and producer Kelvin Harrison Jr. Mariam Fakhroo from the Doha Film Institute served as a jury observer.
Pictured above (left to right): Geralyn White-Dreyfuss, Regina K. Scully, Rebecca Tickell, Joshua Tickell, Helen Hohne, Daniel Turkoff Wilson, Kelvin Harrison Jr.
