The Chances of the World Changing

Richard Ogust is a man who has more turtles than he knows what to do with: actually, when the media learned that over 1,200 rare and endangered turtles and tortoises inhabited Ogust's Manhattan apartment, he became a minor celebrity. In filmmaker Eric Daniel Metzgar's The Chances of the World Changing, interviews with Ogust and footage from a turtle conference reveal that Ogust is motivated by the fact that many turtle and tortoise species face extinction worldwide from both habitat loss and the ravenous food markets of Asia. In response to these threats, Ogust has created an “assurance colony,” a modern-day Noah's Ark that he hopes will preserve genetic diversity for the future. With his collection as a starting point, Ogust plans to establish a turtle institute, but personal and financial limitations (including concerns about homelessness, bankruptcy, conflicts with local environmental agencies, long hours spent tending turtle cages, and uncertainty about a permanent site for the institute) threaten his vision. However, as Ogust descends into a host of practical and existential crises, the documentary begins to feel long-winded, allowing too much time for Ogust's monologues. Still, the film's uncannily beautiful images of turtles and tortoises effectively communicate why Ogust and others like him love and want to protect these creatures. Recommended, overall. [Note: this is also included in Docurama's 15-film boxed set POV: 20th Anniversary Collection, priced at $249.95.] Aud: C, P. (J. Wadland)