The White House Effect

The White House Effect is a documentary that examines the beginnings of the climate crisis. Through the use of archival footage, the film focuses on the political conflicts within the administration of George H.W. Bush and how these internal struggles influenced the trajectory of environmental history.

The film was co-directed by Jon Shenk, Bonni Cohen, and Pedro Kos. For Shenk and Cohen, this project follows their previous collaborations on Athlete A and In Waves and War. It represents the first directorial credit for Kos, who later directed In Our Blood. The production was a joint effort between Cinereach, 2 SQ FT, Impact Partners, and Department of Motion Pictures, with Josh Penn, Bonni Cohen, and Noah Stahl serving as producers.

The cast consists of various political figures appearing via archive footage, including George H.W. Bush, Ronald Reagan, Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton, and Al Gore, alongside William K. Reilly. Released in 2024, the movie has a runtime of 96 minutes.