Plus, He Made That Boat Sink

Leonardo DiCaprio brings climate-change film to Cannes

A year ago, Al Gore spread the climate-change message at the Cannes Film Festival. Now it's Leonardo DiCaprio's turn. The former boy wonder produced, co-wrote, and narrated The 11th Hour, a documentary that explores how industrial society screwed itself and how it can fix the problem. Relying on interviews with the likes of Stephen Hawking and David Suzuki, the 90-minute film "[gives] the scientists and experts a format where they can speak freely and openly without having to argue the points anymore," says Leo. Like Gore, his eco-mentor, DiCaprio is battling accusations of hypocrisy from the press: You fly in planes! You use energy! You're a big fatty! Although he took a bit o' the bait, pointing out that he flew commercially to Cannes instead of on a private jet, DiCaprio deflected most of the personal attacks, calling on the mega-polluting U.S. to "set an example" for the world and reminding the press that the world is ending. "Look at the message," he pleaded. "Isn't that the larger story?"