The Resilience Age

The Resilience Age documentary examines urban centers across the globe that have not only developed innovative ways to address and overcome the challenges they face, but have positioned their cities to be better prepared for future disruptions, ensuring they better withstand and recover quicker when disaster strikes. The film highlights the impact of resilience in cities around the world that face challenges including climate change, sea level rise, economic disparity and pollution. By examining the past, present and future of cities from El Paso, Texas to Medellin, Colombia The Resilience Age highlights how these cities developed interventions that established resilience in their communities. In Louisiana following Hurricane Katrina, engineers, elected officials and community members worked together to build green infrastructure in and around New Orleans; in drought-stricken Texas, the state developed innovative water desalinization plants and implemented water management strategies that reduced daily per capita consumption from 225 gallons to 130; and, in bankrupt, crime-ridden Detroit, innovative projects executed by residents enhanced social cohesion and facilitated a renaissance in many Detroit neighborhoods that is ongoing today.

While the location and challenges of the featured cities vary, they all have one thing in common: through innovative approaches to resilience, these cities have addressed their challenges and emerged better prepared to absorb the shocks and stresses that the future will certainly bring.