First Mark Lynas (forthcoming Borderlines Debate speaker) comes out in favour of nuclear energy, along with three other leading figures from the environmental lobby. Then on Friday morning the green gunk attack on Peter Mandelson was perpetrated by Plane Stupid activist Leila Deen who has since given herself up for arrrest. Joss Garman of Greenpeace, co-founder of Plane Stupid, ex-Hereford Sixth Form college student and one of The Guardian's 50 people most likely to save the planet, who is also due to take part in our Climate Change and Sustainability Day - aptly enough in the How Far Do We Go? session - writes fluently and persuasively about his generation's stand on global warming in today's Observer.
There is much debate in the press as to whether Plane Stupid's methods are juvenile and justifiable but it seems that the pressing nature of global warming agenda is on the top of everyone's agenda from leading environmentalists like Stephen Tindale, former director of Greenpeace, to Prince Charles - who is to make a keynote speech on climate change in Rio on Thursday - to the Sun - which has launched a Go Green week. And The Age of Stupid's go-for-broke PR campaign to mark the film's launch next week carries similar urgency. The message is loud and clear: Do something now before it is absolutely too late.
Further links: Plane Stupid's flickr photostream
Play Leila Deen - Custard Queen
Sunday, 8 March 2009
Saturday, 7 March 2009
The Age of Stupid opens WOW Festival in Aberystwyth
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
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
Monday, 2 March 2009
Brochures out and about!
Our brochures containing the full Borderlines 2009 programme are ready.
Download a PDF version from our Press page if you can't wait for the hard copy.
Brochures are being distributed far and wide across the region but sign up for our e-newsletter updates if you'd like to receive a brochure through the post.
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