The award-winning filmmakers behind Kiss The Ground and Common Ground have returned with a powerful new documentary that shines a spotlight on one of the world’s most pressing environmental challenges: soil health.
GROUNDSWELL, which premiered at the Cannes International Film Festival 2026, takes audiences on what its creators describe as a “regenerative road trip,” exploring the global movement dedicated to restoring the Earth’s soil through sustainable farming practices.
The documentary is available to stream globally on World Environment Day (June 5) via Amazon Prime Video.
Narrated on-screen by Hollywood stars Demi Moore and Woody Harrelson, the film examines how regenerative agriculture could help improve biodiversity, strengthen food systems and support farming communities worldwide.
For more information about the film and the wider movement, visit the official One Billion Acres initiative: https://www.onebillionacres.org
From Soil to Supper: Exploring the Future of Food
According to director Josh Tickell, the latest instalment in the trilogy focuses on how soil health impacts the food people consume every day.
“The first two films in this trilogy explain the potential of soil as a climate solution, and in GROUNDSWELL, we wanted to focus on what this looks like within the global agricultural system,” Tickell explained.
The documentary investigates two central questions: how food production affects soil health and how healthy soil influences the quality of food produced.
Co-director Rebecca Harrell Tickell said coffee became the gateway to understanding a much broader environmental story.
“When you begin asking where our food comes from, you inevitably begin asking what kind of world we are creating,” she said.
Inside a Colombian Coffee Farm Featured in GROUNDSWELL
A major focus of the documentary is the Colombian coffee farm of Ruben Agudelo, a long-standing partner farmer in the Nespresso Sustainable Quality Plan.
Agudelo has spent two decades working with Nespresso and transitioning his farm towards regenerative agricultural methods. The film documents how these practices have improved soil quality, increased biodiversity and encouraged the return of native bird species.
Visitors to the farm are shown how healthy coffee production begins beneath the surface, with living soil rich in nutrients, microorganisms and plant life.
“Healthy soil is dark and moist, rich with life, and provides all the nutrients my coffee trees need to thrive,” Agudelo explains in the documentary.
Why Regenerative Agriculture Matters for Coffee
The film highlights the growing challenges facing coffee farmers worldwide.
Coffee is predominantly grown by smallholder farmers, many of whom operate in regions increasingly affected by climate change and extreme weather conditions. Healthy soil plays a critical role in maintaining coffee quality, sustaining harvest yields and protecting farmer livelihoods.
As a result, regenerative agriculture has become a major focus for Nespresso’s sustainability efforts.
According to Nespresso, 85% of the coffee sourced through its sustainability programme now comes from farms practising regenerative agriculture, independently verified by Enveritas.
Learn more about Nespresso’s sustainability initiatives at the official website: https://www.nespresso.com
Nespresso Becomes First Signatory of One Billion Acres Pledge
During the Cannes International Film Festival, Nespresso was announced as the first company to sign the One Billion Acres Pledge, a global initiative created by the filmmakers behind GROUNDSWELL.
The pledge aims to accelerate the adoption of regenerative agriculture by encouraging businesses to invest in farming practices that improve soil health and ecosystem resilience.
Alfonso Gonzalez Loeschen, CEO of Nespresso, said the company hopes its commitment will encourage wider industry participation.
“Regenerative agriculture is the future — and not only for high-quality coffee,” he said. “By signing this pledge, we hope to inspire other companies to invest in the regenerative agriculture revolution.”
Nespresso’s Long-Term Commitment to Sustainable Coffee
Founded as a pioneer in premium portioned coffee, Nespresso works with more than 130,000 farmers across 18 countries through its Sustainable Quality Plan.
Developed in partnership with the Rainforest Alliance in 2003, the programme supports farming communities by improving harvest quality, increasing resilience and promoting sustainable agricultural practices.
In 2022, Nespresso achieved B Corp Certification, joining thousands of businesses worldwide committed to meeting high standards of environmental and social responsibility.
Headquartered in Vevey, Switzerland, Nespresso currently operates in 98 markets and employs more than 14,000 people globally.
For further information, visit:
- Nespresso: https://www.nespresso.com
- One Billion Acres: https://www.onebillionacres.org
- Amazon Prime Video: https://www.primevideo.com
A Documentary with a Message of Hope
At a time when climate change, biodiversity loss and food security dominate global conversations, GROUNDSWELL offers a hopeful perspective rooted in practical action.
Rather than presenting regeneration as a future possibility, the documentary showcases real-world examples of farmers already improving ecosystems, restoring soil health and producing higher-quality food through regenerative agriculture.
As Rebecca Harrell Tickell puts it, the movement is not about looking backwards — it is about evolving agriculture towards a healthier and more sustainable future.
