Full Breakdown
“Time and Water” Documentary Announces Global Theatrical Release
5/5/2026, 12:46:44 PM
Global Release and Distribution
“Time and Water” will open in cinemas worldwide on May 29, 2025, distributed in North America by 1-2 Special and internationally by Dogwoof. The film is slated to air on National Geographic and stream on Disney+ later in 2026. Executive producers include Carolyn Bernstein (National Geographic Documentary Films) and Tim Horsburgh, with additional executive producers from Sandbox Films and the Ninmah Foundation.
Background: Icelandic Glaciers, Climate Change, and the Source Book
Iceland’s glaciers are receding rapidly; in 2019 the Okjökull glacier was declared moribund after losing a substantial portion of its thickness and surface area. The documentary draws on Andri Snær Magnason’s 2019 book *On Time and Water*, which has been translated into more than 30 languages. Magnason’s work frames the melting ice as both a physical and cultural loss, prompting the film’s central premise of preserving memory before it “slips away.”
Key Figures and Organizations
- Andri Snær Magnason – Icelandic poet, author, co-producer, and on-screen narrator.
- Sara Dosa – Oscar-nominated director, writer, and producer; known for *Fire of Love* and *The Seer & the Unseen*.
- National Geographic Documentary Films – Primary production partner, providing executive oversight and distribution channels.
- Shane Boris, Elijah Stevens, Jameka Autry – Producers; the film is a Signpost Pictures production in association with Compass Films.
Production Details and Festival Circuit
The documentary premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2026 and subsequently screened at the Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival, CPH:DOX, the San Francisco International Film Festival, the Margaret Mead Film Festival, and Full Frame. Upcoming festival appearances include Hot Docs, Millennium Docs Against Gravity, and Sheffield DocFest. The film’s cinematography, scored by Dan Deacon, combines archival family photographs, traditional Icelandic songs, and contemporary footage of glacial melt.
Why It Matters: Cultural Memory and Climate Narrative
“Time and Water” intertwines personal family archives with Iceland’s natural history to illustrate how human identity is bound to changing ecosystems. By framing climate data within personal stories, the film seeks to make the abstract impacts of global warming tangible, encouraging audiences to consider intergenerational responsibility and the preservation of cultural heritage amid environmental loss.
Official Statements & Responses
Director Sara Dosa explained that the film “weaves a story of family and our natural landscapes as an effort to make sense of our profoundly changing world,” emphasizing the inseparability of human life and nature. Executive Producer Carolyn Bernstein described the documentary as a “deeply moving and timely cri de coeur” that urges viewers to reflect on the ties that bind humanity to the natural world. Magnason noted that “people don’t understand data; they understand stories,” underscoring the film’s narrative strategy.
Verbatim Quotes
- “In Time and Water, renowned Icelandic poet and author Andri Snær Magnason is chasing something elusive,” — National Geographic release
- “Time and Water weaves a story of family and our natural landscapes as an effort to make sense of our profoundly changing world,” — Sara Dosa, Director
- “When speaking about the climate crisis, a scientist once said to me: ‘People don’t understand data, they understand stories,’” — Andri Snær Magnason
- “The film is a love letter to glaciers and generations, an invitation to us all to consider how we listen to the world as it changes around us.” — Andri Snær Magnason
- “Time and Water is a deeply moving and timely cri de coeur that invites audiences to reflect on the ties that bind us to the natural world and to each other,” — Carolyn Bernstein, EVP, National Geographic Documentary Films
What’s Next
After its theatrical run, the documentary will be broadcast on National Geographic and become available for streaming on Disney+ in late 2026. The film’s continued presence at international festivals aims to sustain public dialogue on climate change, cultural memory, and the preservation of disappearing glacial landscapes.
