A memorable and inspiring night for the first screening in Wales of The Age of Stupid at the opening of WOW Wales One World Film Festival in Aberystwyth. A full house, we could have sold twice as many tickets and we had to turn a lot of disappointed people away – indeed somebody must have sneaked in as one of the ushers was left without a seat! Just shows how keen people are to see the film.
No wonder as it certainly inspired the audience - around 100 people stayed for an hour long Q&A with Lizzie Gillett, the producer of The Age of Stupid and Paul Allen, director of Centre for Alternative Technology and author of Zero Carbon Britain.
The discussion was surprisingly positive with a real sense that now was the time to make the changes we have to make and to hold the politicians to account to do the things they know they should. When Lizzie revealed that The Sun was using the film as a chance to educate their readers about climate change there was a sense that the film could reach those people who still need persuading how pressing the issue is.
Paul was quietly optimistic about the benefits of transition, the opportunity that the credit crunch provides for people to readjust their priorities and to envision a different future than the apocalyptic nightmare the film imagines.
It was touching to see Lizzie so excited at seeing the poster for her ‘little’ film up alongside those for ‘proper’ films like Che and Revolutionary Road. Her energy and enthusiasm were certainly infectious and the stories she told of the obstacles that she and director Franny Armstrong had overcome and the sense that now they were now harnessing an immense tide of good will and support for their film. It will certainly be interesting to see what happens when The Age of Stupid hits the cinemas and with Pete Postlethwaite launching the Not Stupid campaign at the People’s Premiere on Sunday 15 March. (From David Gillam, Festival Director)
View The Making of The Age of Stupid video (50 mins) on Guardian Environment
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