A Force of Nature

Ellen Ratner, the award-winning journalist and philanthropist, defies easy description but never shies away from lending a strong opinion as a fierce advocate of free speech and social justice.A Force of Nature celebrates Ellen’s life and work. This documentary portrays an impassioned crusader driven to ease the suffering of others, a woman characterized by her friends as “being out to change the world.”A Force of Nature is told through Ellen’s work, following her as she travels from home base in Washington, DC, to hurricane-ravaged Mississippi, to war-torn South Sudan. A Force of Nature offers a rare perspective, revealing the passions that keep her reaching for a better tomorrow.

Featuring her friends, family and political peers, as well as the people she is dedicated to helping, A Force of Nature tells the inspiring story of how one, unapologetically committed person can make a difference and help others do the same.

46 min. HDV. Color.
Barbara Kopple: Director and Producer