Virtual Reality Film Tackles Climate Change at Sundance Festival

At this year's Sundance Film Festival, virtual reality seems to be the next frontier.  And some filmmakers are using VR to make a statement about climate change.

Danfung Dennis is the lead artist on the virtual reality film, "Melting Ice," premiering at Sundance this year.  His film transports you - along with Al Gore - to Greenland.  In this enchanting frozen landscape, you'll see the effects of climate change first hand.

"It's vanishing.  It's disappearing," Dennis said.  "It's collapsing, it's melting, it's just turning into torrents of brown water rushing down the sides of the glacier."

Dennis says while traditional documentaries can convey power powerful information, it's still just a flat screen.

"Whereas VR allows you to step into that world, to be fully immersed in it" he said.

Dennis hopes the VR experience motivates people to live more sustainable lives.  And Melting Ice isn't the only VR film at Sundance.  "Chasing Coral" takes viewers to the Great Barrier Reef.  And "Tree" allows you to become a tree in the Amazon that meets an unfortunate end.