Calgary filmmaker Mathew Embry has released a new documentary that shines a light on energy poverty, a crisis affecting over a billion people worldwide who live without access to basic electricity, heat, or light. Help Is On The Way takes viewers from the Peruvian Andes to the Canadian Arctic, following the personal stories of volunteers and communities working to bring power to remote areas. The film features people like Canadian student Kalista McNabb, who helps bring solar power to rural Peru, and Blaine Chislett, an Inuk energy advocate working to reduce diesel dependency in Nunavut.

Instead of going through traditional broadcasters or streaming platforms, Embry decided to release the film for free on YouTube through his own channel. Embry, known for previous films including Living Proof and Painkiller: Inside the Opioid Crisis, says the film advocates for using all available energy tools to fight poverty. "This isn't about politics," he explains, "it's about people and the power to help them."