Youth Unstoppable, a film taking a deep dive into the story of the Youth Climate Movement, a network of global environmental youth organizations, will be screened at Hot Docs on Saturday.
The documentary film is directed by Slater Jewell-Kemker, who has been a climate activist since 15 and has been making films since the age of six. In Youth Unstoppable the director shows the story of Youth Climate Movement by following the trials and tribulations of young activists fighting against the currents of climate change.
After a global premiere during UN Climate Week in New York City on Sept. 23, the film has screened at over 100 film festivals.
David Knipe, programmer at Hot Docs, reinstated the organization’s commitment to platforming documentary films that speak to the issues facing our world.
“Issues of climate change, environmental justice, and all of the other human-caused threats to the earth and its population are of extreme relevance and importance to the work we do at Hot Docs,” Knipe said. “It is in our mandate to present illuminating, thought-provoking, and timely documentary films that engender thoughtful conversation around the issues that we currently face.”
According to the United Nations Development Programme UNDP’s Peoples’ Climate Vote, the largest-ever survey of public opinion on climate change revealed that nearly 70 per cent of people under 18 believe climate change is a global emergency.
The film follows the activities of various climate activists over a period of 12 years.
“Documentary has the power to inform, inspire, and lead a path toward change, and Youth Unstoppable is a perfect example of that. We hope that by giving films and their creators a platform we can highlight and help to contribute to the real-world action that can and should follow from urgent films such as this,” Knipe said.
Knipe adds the film counters the popular cliché of the ‘young fad chasing’ image of youth climate activists.
“The incredible crux of Youth Unstoppable, the very core of its message is that this work takes time and a tremendous commitment to the issues that go beyond fleeting or trendy moments of activism,” he said. “By showcasing the work of filmmaker and activist Slater Jewell-Kemker over the course of more than 12 years, the viewer gets a real sense of the enormous scope and scale of the work that is being done by these youth activists.”
Speaking on what he hopes people take away from Saturday’s showing of the film, Knipe hopes for a simple outcome – belief in the new generation.
“ Ultimately, Youth Unstoppable is a call to action, so I hope that folks are motivated to get active in climate justice movements in their own communities,” he said. “I hope that people will leave the cinema with a greater sense of trust and belief in the generation of youth that are coming of age right now. It truly is a bright future for the earth with how engaged, passionate, and connected this generation is.”