Resist

WHEN I BEGAN THINKING ABOUT THIS FILM, I WAS REALLY SETTING OUT TO SOLVE SOMETHING THAT WAS A BIT OF A MYSTERY TO ME.
IN A WORLD THAT IS CLEARLY IN A STATE, WHAT REAL POWER DOES ONE PERSON ACTUALLY HAVE TO BE ABLE TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT?
WHILST WE THINK OF OURSELVES HERE AS FREE AND PROGRESSIVE, OUR POLITICAL POWER HAS REALLY BEEN RELEGATED TO THE CHOICES WE MAKE AS CONSUMERS.
I ALSO ASKED MYSELF, KNOWING THAT THE WORLD IS IN SUCH A STATE, WHY IS IT THAT WE’RE NOT REALLY VERY ANGRY WITH THE PEOPLE WHO CAUSE THE MESS? 

THE ANSWER IS DEPRESSINGLY SIMPLE.
IT’S MAINLY US, OR ‘THE SYSTEM’ THAT WE LIVE UNDER, THAT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR A LOT OF THAT MESS!
BEING FROM THE RICH PART OF THE WORLD, WE THINK THAT WHEN THINGS GO BAD WE CAN JUST BUILD HIGHER WALLS, PROTECT OURSELVES FROM THE CHAOS, AND LEAVE BEHIND THE OTHERS WHO CAN’T AFFORD TO SURVIVE.
WE DON’T HAVE ENOUGH OF AN INCENTIVE TO ACTUALLY CHANGE THE WAY THINGS ARE, BECAUSE REALLY, LIVING IN THE RICH PART OF THE WORLD, THINGS ARE QUITE NICE.
THE SUFFERING GOES ON SOMEWHERE ELSE - IT’S HARD TO SEE HOW WE’RE CONNECTED TO IT IN ANY WAY.

BUT OF COURSE WHEN YOU BREAK IT DOWN, WE’RE DEEPLY CONNECTED. 
FROM TRADE TO CLIMATE CHANGE TO MIGRATION TO LAND RIGHTS TO WARS TO OIL - THE LIST IS ENDLESS.

IN OUR PART OF THE WORLD, ON OUR SIDE OF THE WALL, A MASSIVE SHIFT IN MINDSET WOULD BE NEEDED TO UNDERSTAND THAT IT IS ACTUALLY OUR SYSTEM THAT IS THE PROBLEM.

BUT IN OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD, THIS IS REALLY VERY OBVIOUS!
SO TO ANSWER MY INITIAL QUESTION OF HOW MUCH POWER DO PEOPLE REALLY HAVE TO CHANGE THINGS, I REALISED I HAD TO LOOK FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE ACTUALLY FIGHTING OUR SYSTEM. WHO LITERALLY RESIST TO EXIST.
RESISTANCE IS THEIR PRIMARY WAY OF MOVING FORWARD.
IT’S THE ONLY WAY THEY’LL GET FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN RIGHTS, OR ANY SOCIAL OR ECONOMIC JUSTICE.
REALLY, IT IS A FIGHT TO BE FREE OF US, A FIGHT TO LIVE WITH DIGNITY.

SO IN OUR FILM GAEL SEEKS OUT THESE LIFE AFFIRMING PEOPLE WHO ARE MAKING CHANGE HAPPEN, WHO ARE TRANSFORMING THINGS FOR THEMSELVES, WHO SEE HUMANITY AND NATURE AS SOMETHING MORE MEANINGFUL THAN JUST A COMMODITY. 
THE POWER OF THIS FILM IS THAT THE COMPLEXITY AND ENORMITY OF PEOPLES’ STRUGGLES WILL BE EXPRESSED THROUGH HIGHLY INTIMATE PERSONALISED STORIES.
IT WILL REVEAL THAT SEEMINGLY DISCONNECTED PEOPLE ARE IN FACT BOUND BY THEIR CONVICTION THAT WHAT IS HAPPENING ON THE WORLD TODAY IS WRONG.

THE FILM CHALLENGES THE ASSUMPTION THAT POSITIVE CHANGE WILL EVER COME FROM THE TOP DOWN.
IT OFFERS A DIFFERENT SET OF LENSES THROUGH WHICH TO SEE THAT AS INDIVIDUALS, WE DO HAVE POWER TO CHANGE THINGS.