DC (& THE WORLD): THE BEST ECO-DOC WITH MATT DAMON [PLAN B]

By Nora Zelevansky / February 7th, 2011

I grew up in an unusual family, though I didn't fully acknowledge that fact until I arrived at college in California and exchanged stories about backgrounds with new friends.  Lo and behold, I was the only girl at school with a performance artist father, contemporary curator mother and theater directing sister.

Don't get me wrong: I knew I was different when friend's families invited my parents to The Hamptons for weekends at "the club" and my parents always politely declined, noting – in the privacy of our Upper West Side apartment – that they didn't "do" The Hamptons.

My parents may also be the only people in history who frequented Studio 54 (because of the art scene element) and completely hated it.  "It was awful," my mother still says without apology.  My father agrees even more fervently.

So, I suppose maybe it was a given on some level that I would wind up with creative and interesting in-laws instead of some status quo.  And, yes, though maybe not as esoteric in their interests as my art world parents, Hal & Marilyn Weiner are Emmy Award-winning documentarians, who constantly travel the globe for their work.

Since Andrew and I have been involved, their focus has been primarily environmental.  I'm sure you can guess on which side of the debate they tend to fall, once they've completed their exhaustive research.  For awhile now, their company, Screenscope, has worked with Matt Damon as narrator on these projects; mostly segments for PBS series, Journey to Planet Earth).

Their newest film though is based around the teachings of climate control expert Lester Brown and once again, as reported here, Matt Damon is the voice for the cause.  They follow Brown all over the world, as he imparts information and meets with lawmakers and such.

But certain things remain the same: I'm pretty sure they never hit The Hamptons.

xo – N.