Are they the disgraceful vandals who pose a high risk to society?
Climate Criminals? is a short documentary that records front-line climate activists reclaiming their actions in their own words.
“My name is Sophie and I am an artist telling stories across theatre, film and audio. I am also a mother and a human being living in these frightening, turbulent times. I am someone who reads the news and gets affected by public opinion and it felt to me like I was being told to be scared of climate activists, that these are the dangerous criminals we need to be frightened of. Rather than simply accept this, I wanted to meet these people in person and hear in their own words why they do what they do.”
Shot over three days during a storytelling residential held at pioneering organic farm Sheepdrove in the UK, we invited these activists to share stories and experiences from their perspective as they try to wake us all up to the dangers we are facing from the climate crisis.
This 15 minute film is a conversation starter, inviting you to consider why these ordinary people take these actions which can have dire consequences on their own lives.
The film premiered at the Roundhouse in London on January 22nd. The event, hosted by creative producer Becky Burchell, environmentalist Jonathon Porritt and director Sophie Austin, included in-person stories from front-line climate activists, poetry from activists in prison and a sound installation by Louise Romain and photography by Simon Lamb.
Throughout the year we will be hosting similar events which will weave together in-person stories about activism with screenings of the film and other artistic responses whilst holding space for discussion and reflection. Get in touch if you're interested in having one of these events within your community.