How To Change The World Hot Docs 2015 Canadian Premiere GAT PR Press Summary
Interviews Complete
Email Interview Tuesday, March 17
Wednesday, April 22 Thursday, April 23
Friday, April 24
POV Magazine Jerry Rothwell Your World This Week John Murray The Watchlist John Murray Hot Docs In House John Murray Mark Wigmore John Murray Playback John Murray Playback Robin Johnston Globe and Mail Jerry Rothwell Globe and Mail Emily Hunter Breakfast Television Emily Hunter CP24 – Live at 10 Emily Hunter
Saturday, April 25
Sunday, April 26 TBC Monday, April 27
Friday, May 1 Email Essay
Toronto Star Emily Hunter Toronto Star Jerry Rothwell Strictly Docs Emily Hunter Newstalk 1010 Emily Hunter/Jerry Rothwell CP24 Breakfast Emily Hunter/Jerry Rothwell She Does The City Emily Hunter Hot Docs Interview Emily Hunter, Bobbi Hunter, Jerry Rothwell What She Said Emily Hunter Huffington Post Essay Emily Hunter
DOXA documentary festival kicks off with Greenpeace founder’s ‘last mind bomb’ By: Marsha Lederman | April 29, 2015
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/film/doxa-‐documentary-‐festival-‐kicks-‐off-‐with-‐greenpeace-‐founders-‐ last-‐mind-‐bomb/article24169061/
Bob Hunter always knew the founding of Greenpeace would make a great movie: A ragtag group of eco-‐freaks, hippies and other radicals sets off in a rickety fishing boat to stop a nuclear bomb test, then finds its true raison d’être when they decide (well, Hunter decides) to save the whales. Convinced of this filmic potential, Hunter – a journalist-‐turned-‐activist-‐turned-‐journalist again – tried to make it happen repeatedly. He wrote scripts, sent them off. With his eye on a Hollywood feature, he even tried positioning it as a love story. It never happened. But now, exactly 10 years after Hunter’s death, his story is coming to the big screen in a powerful documentary that surely tells the story better than any Hollywood romcom could. And, in a beautiful twist, Hunter not only dominates the film onscreen, but is the source of its narration – and even its footage. How to Change the World, which had its Canadian premiere at Hot Docs in Toronto last weekend, opens the DOXA Documentary Film Festival in Vancouver on Thursday night. “In many ways the film was, I guess you could say, kind of the dream child of my father’s,” says his daughter Emily Hunter, who worked as a researcher on the film and also appears in it, having followed in her father’s environmental-‐activism footsteps. “He really wanted to tell the original story of Greenpeace … the story of an ordinary group of people doing the extraordinary.” The documentary recounts the early days of Greenpeace, beginning with its birth in 1971, as Hunter, then a columnist for the Vancouver Sun, headed off from Vancouver in a boat with Paul Watson (who went on to found the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society) and others to try to stop the testing of a nuclear bomb at Amchitka, a
tiny island off Alaska. And then its growth, under Hunter, who wound up quitting journalism for activism with a vision to create an ecology movement on the same scale as the civil-‐rights movement, the women’s movement, the peace movement. The film documents the campaign to save the whales, the baby seals – and finally the fractures in the original group as the organization experiences growth beyond any its members’ wildest dreams. That growth was in large part a result of Hunter’s early understanding of the power of the media; his concept of “mind bombs” – essentially what we would call “going viral” today. It wasn’t just important to stop the whalers from harpooning their docile prey, but to catch it on camera – and show the evidence to an outraged world. “Bob always recognized that you can change the world through a camera much easier than with a gun and much more effectively,” says Watson in the documentary. The story unfolds through archival footage, present-‐day interviews and text from Hunter’s books and journals, read in voiceover by actor Barry Pepper. Hunter’s writing is candid, beautiful, poetic. (Sample: “Image is everything. The boat is an icon. A mind bomb sailing across an electronic sea into the front rooms of the masses.”) But it’s the archival footage (which makes up about 70 per cent of the documentary) that gives this film its great strength – in particular never-‐before-‐seen footage discovered in the Greenpeace archive in Amsterdam. Director Jerry Rothwell was doing some research there for a different project when he found the material – dozens of canisters of footage that had been shot during those early Greenpeace missions, fuelled by Hunter’s understanding of the power of an image. “Nobody had even opened the lid on these canisters,” explains Emily Hunter. “It was amazing; this kind of treasure trove that Jerry was able to find. “And in a way,” she continues, “I could see my dad really had the idea of telling this film early on, because it was like kind of a home movie he was behind or directing or producing from the very get-‐go. … So, it really is a treasure trove to have discovered this and be able to [take] kind of a vérité approach to the film that is really a 40-‐, 45-‐year-‐old story now.” The footage is astonishing: candid moments from those early missions, from the mundane to the transformational to the graphically gut-‐wrenching, such as footage of the group watching a harpooned sperm whale dying in the Pacific and realizing with shock and distress that it was undersized. “That’s a goddamn baby whale, for Christ’s sake,” Hunter cries. From London, where he lives, Rothwell explains that he has “cut back a bit” on the graphic footage in this cut of the film. “I think it’s difficult because you want to understand what’s happening and in a way the brutality of it, but you also don’t want that to [cross] the line. It’s a really complicated line. … The unfortunate side of the mind bomb is that sometimes the drama of those images obscures the debate, obscures the issues.” At the core of the story is not the environmentalism but the messy group dynamics of those early Greenpeace days. “I’m really interested in how groups come together, how individuals can change and what happens to power within those groups as they grow,” Rothwell says. But this documentary, which feels way more edge-‐of-‐your-‐seat than staid historical document, seems destined to spark some new interest in Greenpeace – and environmental activism in general. “He’d be absolutely over the moon that it’s actually happening,” says Hunter, about her father. (Globe and Mail reporter Justine Hunter is also Bob Hunter’s daughter; she does not appear in the film.) “And there’s something serendipitous about it all: that it is the 10th anniversary of his passing and finally the story is being told; I think being told at the right moment, where people are kind of ready to listen to it.” For Emily Hunter, 30, watching the film is “an emotional roller coaster” and she is unable to stay in the theatre for the entire screening. “I’m mostly crying … but it’s also such a blessing. I feel like he’s alive again for those nearly two hours on the screen. And I feel like people are going to have a relationship with my father again and connect with him again. That hasn’t happened for over 10 years. And in that way I’m calling it his last mind bomb.” How to Change the World opens DOXA in Vancouver on Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Vancouver Playhouse, with a second screening May 2 at the Vancity Theatre (12 p.m.). The film is slated for theatrical release later this year. DOXA runs through May 10; for more information see doxafestival.ca.
A Q&A WITH ECO MEDIA ACTIVIST, EMILY HUNTER By: Adria Vasil | April 22, 2015 https://nowtoronto.com/movies/hot-‐docs-‐2015/emily-‐hunter/
What happens when a motley crew of Vancouver neighbours decide they want to do something to stop nuclear testing? They rent a boat, set out to sea and light a fuse in the greater consciousness that just happens to spark the modern environmental movement. How To Change The World, screening April 26 and 27 at Hot Docs (see review), relives the early days of Greenpeace and its reluctant leader, the late eco-‐warrior/journalist Bob Hunter. NOW chats with his daughter, Emily Hunter, about the documentary that crystallizes her dad's legacy. How To Change The World is all about your dad's story. What did you think of the film? This film is a dream come true for my family and for my father. He had wanted to tell the story of the origins of Greenpeace, of how ordinary people were doing extraordinary things to change our world for the better, for more than 35 years. He wrote manuscripts for numerous Hollywood films, worked with numerous producers, but it kept flopping. We
always thought the project was cursed. And now, on the 10th anniversary of his passing, I feel like his legacy is being honoured in the most incredible way. So how does a person change the world? At the core, it's always about people acting courageously. Whatever your comfort zone is, it's not necessarily about being a hero -‐ it's about making courageous acts. The crisis we're facing with climate change and a host of other environmental issues requires participation at a much higher level. We can't just write letters to our MP or sign petitions. While those are important, we really need to elevate our level of participation if we want to transform this world. There are so many more ways, so many campaigns, tools and ways to get connected. For instance, 350.org is launching a big campaign in July for three days of action. It's never been easier than now, so there really aren't any more excuses. Your dad talked about planting "mind bombs" for raising consciousness around nukes and whales. What kind of mind bomb does the world need today? The possibility that we can still change the world -‐ as cheesy as that might sound. It's become so normalized, the impending climate catastrophe, losing the fabric of our democracy and having corporations rule over us. We think we're completely powerless; we've bought into that story. We can take the story back. We can change our world. We can be ordinary people doing extraordinary things. We have the potential in ourselves to change the world. Your dad struggled with being a journalist and activist. Do you ever struggle with that, or did you heal the split by becoming an "environmental media activist"? I definitely struggle with that. I'm kind of in two worlds at the same time. One person is trying to speak to the masses, and the other is this entrenched activist who would love to just get out there on the front lines and join Sea Shepherd again and ram the boat to put a stop to overfishing, or tie herself to an oil rig in the Arctic. At the same time, you want to be able to report the story to a larger audience that's not being informed. Finding a balance is not easy. Certainly there's a bias there, but I'm truthful about my bias: I care about the world, that's my bias. Is that such a terrible thing in journalism today, to show the world that we care? To actually care, to want justice and inform people about these stories that are being so silenced today, to me that's much more balanced and fair journalism than we're getting in a lot of mainstream media. What do you hope the film achieves? [Delivering the message] that change is possible. Even flawed human beings can create ripple effects that are felt around the world. I hope young people feel that story of possibility and potential and can see it in themselves.
A look at Hot Docs featured film “How to Change the World” http://www.bttoronto.ca/videos/4193790348001/
Hot Docs 2015: What documentaries should you see at this year's fest? April 17, 2015 http://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/film/hot-‐docs-‐2015-‐what-‐documentaries-‐should-‐you-‐see-‐at-‐this-‐years-‐ fest/article23733711/
Hot Docs 2015 is now under way! But with 210 documentaries from 44 countries to choose from, which ones will you see? Below, you can find the Globe's guide to what to see at the fest, which runs through May 3. You can sort reviews by title, rating, reader rating or date added. Check back here throughout the festival for updates and The Globe's take on the buzziest documentaries. The following mini-‐reviews of select films at Hot Docs 2015 are rated on a system of 0 to 4 stars. For detailed screening information see hotdocs.ca. How to Change the World •
Jerry Rothwell
•
Canadian Premiere
•
Country:U.K./Canada
•
Length:112 minutes
The Vancouver birth of the Greenpeace environmental organization is recalled through the writings of the late founder Bob Hunter (read by actor Barry Pepper), along with a wealth of archival material. Much of this is old news but Jerry Rothwell’s documentary reminds us of the playful counterculture spirit of the original organization. These were people who talked about “mind bombs” and tossed the I Ching for guidance before making a fateful decision to cross bows with a Russian whaling ship in what became a historic environmental action. All this initially makes How to Change the World less like the activists’ manual it pretends to be (chapter headings offer various maxims) and more like The Electric Kool-‐Aid Acid Test with boats. The latter half of the film is less about the environment than about the different paths a generation of idealists took: The mystic-‐poet Hunter burned out and returned to journalism, Paul Watson became a self-‐styled eco-‐pirate and Patrick Moore ended up as a corporate consultant. – Liam Lacey
Hot Docs 2015: Reshaping Reality By: Adam Nayman | April 23, 2015 http://povmagazine.com/articles/view/hot-‐docs-‐2015-‐reshaping-‐reality OF THE OVER TWO HUNDRED FILMS programmed at this year’s Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival, only one has a title that applies across the board: How to Change the World. Jerry Rothwell’s Sundance-‐fêted account of the early days of Greenpeace unravels a very specific narrative, but its titular imperative is one that guides every non-‐fiction filmmaker worth his or her salt—to create something that alters the previous perceptions or discussions around a particular idea or topic. If there is a through-‐line guiding the Canadian selections at Hot Docs 2015, it may be the idea of documentary filmmaking as a transformative process, one that doesn’t simply represent reality but reshapes it, whether through direct intervention or aggressive rhetoric. How to Change the World is probably the flagship film in this regard. Skillfully assembled by Rothwood and editor James Scott out of material filmed for Greenpeace’s own archives, the film takes viewers back to the primal scene of the now-‐internationally aligned environmental organisation, including the fractious, Cain-‐and-‐Abel bickering of its main lieutenants Paul Watson and Patrick Moore. The main voice, however, belongs to Greenpeace’s late founder, Bob Hunter, whose memoirs are generously excerpted in between narration by Barry Pepper. “When I started reading Hunter’s books about that period, what I loved about them was his willingness to be self-‐critical,” says Rothwood, who remembers watching news broadcasts about Greenpeace as a child in the 1970s. He says that his major goal in How to Change the World was to eschew hagiography, which meant eliding any suggestions from Greenpeace’s current leaders or PR department. “It was important to me that the film was independent of any editorial control from Greenpeace. There was always the concern about how it might reflect on present-‐day Greenpeace, which although these are its roots, is a fundamentally different kind of creature than the Greenpeace of the 1970s.” The animal that emerges through the footage in How to Change the World is a scrappy, feral and impressively agile beast adept at absorbing blows: we watch as Hunter and his followers stand up to Russian whalers and Canadian seal hunters while learning to save their most spectacular gestures of defiance and diplomacy for the moments when the cameras are rolling. Greenpeace’s ability to intrigue and even manipulate mass media was crucial to their early success. “I think their other great legacy is more ambiguous–the pioneering of a kind of protest of spectacle, where the power of a particular image can sometimes skew our ability to discuss and respond to it,” says Rothwood. “But in a sense what they did was in response to an emerging world in which, as Marshall McLuhan foresaw, media came to dominate experience. I think now it’s much harder for a single image to have the same impact that Greenpeace’s footage of the whalers’ harpoons had in the ’70s. We’re in a different kind of media revolution, in which the network has more power than the image perhaps.” Hot Docs 2015 Screenings How to Change the World Sun, Apr 26 1:00 PM – Bloor Hot Docs Cinema Mon, Apr 27 9:30 PM – Bloor Hot Docs Cinema
HOW TO CHANGE THE WORLD By: Adria Vasil | April 21, 2015
https://nowtoronto.com/movies/hot-‐docs-‐2015/how-‐to-‐change-‐the-‐world/
HOW TO CHANGE THE WORLD (Jerry Rothwell, UK/Canada). 112 minutes. Rating: NNNNN Long before Twitter and Facebook, eco-‐pioneer/journalist Bob Hunter was "going viral" with analog "mind bombs" -‐ consciousness-‐shifting news feeds that catapulted modern environmental activism into the forefront. Armed with a 16mm camera and a leaky fishing boat, Hunter and his band of hippie scientists, sailors, mystics and mechanics set out in the early 70s to stop atomic testing and then whaling ships, along the way giving birth to one of the world's largest and best known enviro orgs, Greenpeace. Jerry Rothwell has masterfully edited all-‐access reels of archival footage into a gripping tale of revolutionary change-‐makers on the high seas, soaked with intrigue, action, heartache and larger-‐than-‐life characters. Amidst crashing waves and clashing egos, Hunter (whose poetic writing is voiced by actor Barry Pepper) concedes the weakest part of a revolution is often the people themselves. The visionary Greenpeace co-‐founder may no longer be with us, but his legacy lives on in this powerful film that should stir movie goers into believing that a small group of determined individuals can make a difference -‐ and that, as Hunter states, a camera can change the world more easily than a gun. See Q&A with Emily Hunter. Apr 26, 1 pm, Bloor Hot Docs, April 27, 9:30pm, Bloor Hot Docs
HOT DOCS 2015 REVIEW: HOW TO CHANGE THE WORLD By: Prerana Das | April 25, 2015
http://thetfs.ca/2015/04/25/hot-‐docs-‐2015-‐review-‐change-‐world/ In 1971, a group of young friends sailed their boat into a nuclear test zone. This mission would lay the roots of the modern green movement and eventually lead to the formation of Greenpeace. This protest slowly but surely grabbed the attention of the media and the world. How to Change the World follows charismatic leader Bob Hunter and his group of eccentric friends throughout their journey. This documentary spans from the first expedition to enter the nuclear test zone to the creation of Greenpeace International, while also delving into the first whale and seal campaigns in which the group was involved. It’s a film which allows the viewer to feel as if they are accessing secret, even forbidden footage. This is true to an extent, as the film features footage from the Greenpeace archives, the private records of Hunter, and interviews with individuals involved in the events. Because of these factors, this documentary takes on a tone as eccentric as its subject matter, making it incredibly interesting. The relevance of Greenpeace in modern day makes it all the more fascinating, as one has a glimpse into the early stages of environmental activism. Several decades later, this innovative concept of a cohesive group of individuals working towards a common purpose leads to coordinated efforts and elicits change. IS HOW TO CHANGE THE WORLD ESSENTIAL FESTIVAL VIEWING? If you are interested in environmental activism and/or history, How to Change the World will be of particular interest to you. It follows a motley crew of interesting characters and centers around a subject which is increasingly relevant today. HOW TO CHANGE THE WORLD SCREENING TIMES
§ §
Sunday, April 26, 2015 – 1:00 pm – Bloor Hot Docs Cinema Monday, April 27, 2015 – 9:30 pm – Bloor Hot Docs Cinema
HOW TO CHANGE THE WORLD plays Hot Docs 2015 By: Jess Rogers | April 25, 2015
http://www.thematinee.ca/hotdocs2015howtochangetheworld/
If you told your friends that you were going to take a trip to Alaska from Vancouver, they might be excited for you. If you added that it was to stop a nuclear explosion, they might rightly assume you were crazy, exaggerating, or a member of Greenpeace. In 1971, that’s exactly how Greenpeace – the internationally known conservation and activist organization – got started. HOW TO CHANGE THE WORLD, directed by Jerry Rothwell, chronicles this beginning and the harrowing feats necessary to take the smallest, but most important, first steps toward changing the world of the 1970s. Bob Hunter, one of the founders, described being in “the right place at the right time with the right people” took a boat to “bear witness” to the terrible destruction that was likely to be caused by exploding an atomic bomb on an island in the Aleutian change. This was a big push, not long after the first Earth Day, to link the peace movement with the environmental movement. I’d like to say they were terrifically successful and everyone joined hands and saved the world, but that’s what would happen in a blockbuster, not a documentary. This event did cement the drive and goals of Greenpeace, however. They started to create “mind bombs” – which today would mean their idea went viral – that made it clear to the world there were things we didn’t know, and probably had never wanted to know. One of the first really big efforts that Greenpeace made was to stop (or attempt to stop) the killing of whales, particularly off the coast of California by Russian whaling ships. This is where the film is not for the faint of heart – but nothing worth doing really is. Watching these men in a fishing boat attempt to stop a floating factory that was shooting and processing whales at sea is just about as nail-‐biting as any blockbuster. The film doesn’t glorify Greenpeace, nor its founders, but it does show footage of what they did, and interviews with them today about why they did it. As with any group that does something great with a mixed group, there will be disagreements about how to move forward and to what end. They inspired groups just like them, and grew into an international organization that still raises controversy and makes people aware of what’s going on around them. If any long journey begins with a single step, watching this film should be what you do to inform the direction that step could go. HOW TO CHANGE THE WORLD plays at Hot Docs 2015 tomorrow, Sunday April 26th – 1pm at The Bloor. It plays again at The Bloor on Monday April 27th – 9:30pm (official website)
HOT DOCS 2015: HOW TO CHANGE THE WORLD By: Dan Heaton | April 25, 2015
http://cinemaaxis.com/2015/04/25/hot-‐docs-‐2015-‐how-‐to-‐change-‐the-‐world/ When you choose a grandiose title like How the Change the World, it brings expectations of earth-‐shattering moments that permanently modified our thinking. It’s a tall order to come close to matching those aspirations. The idealistic guys who started Greenpeace and energized the environmental movement might fit the bill, however. A shot of Paul Watson riding a whale as it bleeds to death is quite a powerful image. This experience changed his life and led to future activism that continues today. Watson is the angry voice in Jerry Rothwell’s new documentary who doesn’t believe in compromise. Peaceful protest has its limits and doesn’t go far enough in his mind. While he is known these days for the show Whale Wars, his fiery persona goes back to his Greenpeace experiences in the early ‘70s. Rothwell uses a wide array of video footage to put us inside the ship that protested Amchitka nuclear testing and expanded into stopping the whalers. A strangely quiet Barry Pepper voices the late Bob Hunter, who passed away in 2005, a Canadian journalist who co-‐founded Greenpeace in 1971. His team is hardly a fierce bunch and resembles late ‘60s hippies with their minds in the clouds. Hunter understood the importance of visual media and its ability to convey their statement to a larger audience. By presenting the same controversial footage that Hunter’s team used to get their message across, Rothwell makes a case that goes beyond selling Hunter’s importance. The grisly shots of whales and seals place the onus on the audience to break out of our comfort zones and act. How to Change the World gets a little bogged down when the focus shifts more to the individuals on the ship. Rothwell has great footage, but it sometimes feels unnecessary to capture the low-‐key moments. It’s a tricky balance to give us insight about the people involved without losing the momentum. I wasn’t interested in learning about their random behaviors and preferred the focus on their message. There is a stark contrast between the idealistic positivity of the early scenes with the talk of getting “organized” in the last act. Greenpeace didn’t begin with intentions of becoming a gigantic organization, and it’s hard to stay on the ground when building such a group. The organization continues doing important work but can’t recapture the loose ‘70s atmosphere conveyed through much of this film. Even so, there’s a real feeling of loss during the segments covering the political in-‐fighting that changed Greenpeace forever. Watson’s comment that Greenpeace was more effective with no money or resources than it is with millions is fitting. The most fascinating change is found in former Greenpeace member Patrick Moore, who transforms from activist to climate change denier. The interviews with Moore show that he’s still hurt by his experiences leading the organization, and watching videos of him spouting conservative rhetoric is stunning. Moore’s example shows how politics can infect any group, even when the cause feels right. It isn’t clear whether Moore is an opportunist or really believes what he’s saying, but it all hearkens back to conflicts that are several decades old. Rothwell reminds us of a different time where a small group could impact the world. Whether that’s still possible today is another question. Screens Sunday, April 26, 1:00 PM, Bloor Hot Docs Cinema Monday, April 27, 9:30 PM, Bloor Hot Docs Cinema
Hot Docs Review: How To Change The World (Jerry Rothwell, 2015) By: Gary | April 27, 2015
http://www.panicmanual.com/2015/04/27/hot-‐docs-‐review-‐how-‐to-‐change-‐the-‐world-‐jerry-‐rothwell-‐2015/
I’m not an activist of any kind. I’ve never known Greenpeace to be anything other than Greenpeace International. In my defence, it was literally before my time. But given that man-‐made environmental and ecological issues are the defining dilemma of this generation just like the A-‐ and H-‐bombs were in the 50s for the baby bombers (sorry, boomers), it really can’t be brushed aside easily. Compounding that, my lack of any inkling as to the origins of Greenpeace implies a multiversal divide in my intellectual curiosity that I still debate whether to accept. Along came this documentary to the rescue: and it’s perfect. Who better to introduce Our Home and Native species of “flora” and “fauna” than a British filmmaker, now at the “point-‐of-‐no-‐return” as we head toward the global meltdown that few heeded 40 years ago? Greenpeace started with hippies. And substances. And transcendence. But the origin was far closer to home than I had imagined. In the 1970s, draft-‐dodgers from the US coalesced with a rampant social movement, rediscovered nature awareness, drugs, rock music and
mysticism in Vancouver to form a maelstrom of… laid-‐back Canadian hippies. From this swirling solution of perfectly random, normal people, a nucleation event began to occur around the Vancouver Sun journalist Bob Hunter. At first it was a reactionary act toward the nuclear bomb test at Amchitka which grew the nucleus, calling itself Greenpeace. Then came the active effort to save the whales aboard and seals at home, which established a self-‐ sustaining growth along different crystal planes. And when the rest of the world saw and realized: “wait a minute, we’re all in the same solution!” So other nucleation events occurred and dozens of equally galling Greenpeace hippie groups spawned abiotically. And then they all had the same thought: “Wait another minute, we’re not some mindless molecules, we’re people! We can’t be the same!” And so the activism turned inward, cresting into a power struggle. Meanwhile, Bob Hunter was encased suffocatingly in an organization that he believed was no longer primarily focused on their real, ecological/environmental mission, and disappointed that people with the same lofty goals can’t/won’t play together. But eventually, the film halts the negativity and screeches toward a warm (pun-‐intended) ending. After Greenpeace, Bob Hunter (NOT his namesake who’s an executive for Toronto Raptors/FC/Maple Leaf) went on to CityTV in Toronto, and reported on ecological issues for the remainder of his life. His voice (well, words from his writings) bonded the film together seamlessly. Whether by design or by necessity of the content, Rothwell’s use of that narration receded as this legacy film progressed, working beautifully in parallel with Hunter’s bowing out and retreat from the eco-‐movement’s power-‐center. The film carries the spirit of Greenpeace’s late co-‐founder with clasping hand in gentle march toward the shining seas of greater tomorrow. I say that without the mockery that I generally hold for mystics and hippies. Not only is the film well edited as a historic review of the origins of the Greenpeace organization, it was careful to also impart lessons that all past events have the potential to illuminate and provoke. Chief among them, how will we shepherd this even more fragile environment that we now have, as “sovereign” nations of people with wholly different needs, traditions, and aspirations? The lesser instructives include: should you change your name and appearance to match Tolkien characters? (Answer: Yes. “Walrus Oakenbough” sounds badass and tree-‐hugging at the same time). Or, must you become silver-‐haired to look like you gave life your best shot? (Answer: Not really, but it certainly adds gravitas). Speaking of “silver-‐haired hippie Canadian environmentalist,” at one point in the film a thought came to mind: “where is David Suzuki?” If you want more proof that the visceral hate between climate-‐change deniers like Patrick Moore (another Greenpeace co-‐ founder) and other environmentalists plays out like a bad family feud, rest assured it is still alive. I’ll leave the left-‐right-‐center political conundrum and the position of the Edmonton Sun/News within that totem pole to your imagination. How to Change the World will be screened again Monday April 27, at 9:30PM in Bloor Cinema. Go and see if you can put together how saving whales and damaging the Nazca lines are related.
Of milkmen and Greenpeace at the 14th DOXA Documentary Film Festival By: Martin Dunphy | April 29, 2015 http://www.straight.com/movies/441451/milkmen-‐and-‐greenpeace-‐14th-‐doxa-‐ documentary-‐film-‐festival In the 1970s, Vancouver was a hotbed of ecology-‐ minded hippies, draft-‐dodgers, pot-‐smokers, and acidheads. The Georgia Straight in those years was already a well-‐established underground weekly, having survived numerous attempts by the city’s frequently apoplectic mayor to harass it, muzzle it, and shut it down since its inception in 1967. Out of that decade’s stew of psychedelia-‐tinged music, philosophy, and political activism came two cultural artifacts that have persisted for four decades, albeit with varying degrees of relevance: the world’s largest and most effective environmental organization, and a lovable asshat of a milk-‐truck driver. Those constructs, Greenpeace and the fighting-‐ mad comic-‐book character Reid Fleming, World’s Toughest Milkman, share two things in common other than their city of origin: close ties with the Straight in their formative years, and inclusion as film subjects in the 14th edition of the DOXA Documentary Film Festival lineup (April 30 to May 10). Hippies and asshat Milkman part of DOXA mix Greenpeace’s fest showcase comes in the form of How to Change the World, a new feature doc by U.K.–based director Jerry Rothwell. The 112-‐minute film by the maker ofTown of Runners explores the ragtag beginnings of today’s massive activist NGO through the words of its first leader, Bob Hunter, and it has been awarded DOXA’s opening-‐night spot. Reid Fleming’s latest public exposure is courtesy of a 12-‐minute sparring match of a short by Fleming creator David Boswell’s nephew, Charlie Tyrell. Its title, “I Thought I Told You to Shut Up”, is the truculent truck jockey’s trademark expression, first seen in a full-‐page Straight cartoon in 1978. Other noteworthy films among the more than 90 scheduled to be screened during the 11-‐day event include the midfest special presentation Yes Men Are Revolting, and the final documentary by genre giant Albert Maysles, Iris—slotted in, fittingly, as the closing-‐night gala. Director a little nervous Rothwell confesses to a bit of trepidation as he gets ready to accompany How to Change the World to Canada for Toronto’s Hot Docs festival and DOXA immediately after.
Speaking to the Straight from Lewes, England, Rothwell explains that although his film has already been screened on the U.S. festival circuit, Vancouver has special meaning, even when compared to Hogtown’s mammoth doc bash. “DOXA is the really crucial one, because it’s taking the film to where Greenpeace was conceived,” he says. Honours for his movie to date include best-‐feature-‐film awards at both the Portland and Sebastopol fests, and Sundance’s Candescent and special-‐jury editing prizes. New footage unearthed One of the reasons Rothwell’s documentary is impressing audiences and critics alike is his use of spectacular and previously unseen footage from the earliest days of Greenpeace, shot during its initial ocean voyage to protest atomic testing in 1971 by the U.S. in Amchitka, Alaska, and its subsequent antiwhaling forays against the Russians in the North Pacific. “That material in the first voyage, there’s great stuff there,” Rothwell says. He explains that a huge cache of old Greenpeace International films and records in Amsterdam sparked his interest in making the feature. “I’ve been trying to do this film since 2007, when I first realized the archives were there. I was researching something else and realized there was this fantastic historical archive. They [Greenpeace] gave me a very free hand with it, which was great.” Eco-‐journalist became voice of film As he researched further, he came across writings by Bob Hunter, the former Vancouver Sun columnist (and then-‐pseudonymous Straight writer) who became the reluctant first leader of Greenpeace. Hunter wrote or cowrote four books about Greenpeace. “I kind of fell in love with his writing,” Rothwell says of the mystic journalist and environmentalist who died in 2005. “I felt they needed to be the spine of the film, that the narrative voice should be Bob Hunter’s.” Vancouver itself is one of the stars of the film, providing a nostalgic ’70s backdrop (mountains, False Creek, Jericho Beach) for many of the scenes. As for the people, headbands, bell-‐bottoms, peasant skirts, enormous mustaches, and long hair ruled the day. And footage from the Amchitka and antiwhaling voyages on the 25-‐ metre halibut seiner Phyllis Cormack contains two striking and pivotal episodes that both informed an abrupt change in focus for Greenpeace (from anti nuke-‐testing to antiwhaling) and confirmed a life’s work for Straight writer (and, later, Sea Shepherd Conservation Society founder) Paul Watson. Ghastly scene, dead baby whale inspired activists The former came about when Hunter and a few brothers-‐in-‐arms toured an abandoned whaling station on Alaskan soil. Amid stunning natural beauty, the scene segues from acid-‐infused meadow frolicking to the ghastly discovery of H. R. Giger–esque monster bones and the decaying skeleton of assembly-‐line death. “He [Hunter] references this as the point at which he thought of kicking off the whale campaign,” Rothwell says. Watson’s epiphany came after he jumped onto an illegally killed baby sperm whale floating in the open ocean. The footage leaves no doubt as to the former merchant mariner’s state of mind. Those moments changed his life, as he states in the film. Hunter, the master media manipulator, sent the strong shots worldwide, causing a sensation. “I think,” Rothwell says, “filmically, that Bob recognized that. It’s a very iconic visual moment.” Personalities conflict A protracted falling-‐out between the harried Hunter and the headstrong Watson came to a boil with the help of controversial early Greenpeacer Patrick “eco-‐Judas” Moore. Rothwell devotes a good chunk of time to the frayed dynamic between Moore and the future Sea Shepherd leader, which, ultimately, led to Watson’s dismissal from Greenpeace. “It’s kind of astonishing that any organization could have the two of them working together,” Rothwell observes. “It’s amazing that these people were in the same place and experiencing the same things. “In the film, they represent two ways of dealing with change. That’s one of the things I was interested in: whether politics springs from personality.”
Hot Docs Review: 'How to Change the World' By: Pat Mullen | April 28, 2015
http://www.cinemablographer.com/2015/04/hot-‐docs-‐review-‐how-‐to-‐change-‐world.html How to Change the World (Canada/UK, 112 min.) Dir. Jerry Rothwell Programme: Special Presentations (Canadian Premiere)
It takes a lot of moxie to title a film How to Change the World. That’s a bold name, for a “how to” guide to fix the planet is a large thing to tackle in one feature length film. The thrilling and inspiringHow to Save the World, however, largely succeeds as director Jerry Rothwell recounts the rise of Greenpeace with five quick tips on how to make the world a better place. How to Change the World puts art and activism hand in hand as Rothwell mounts some handsome archival footage of Greenpeace’s early endeavours. The film tells how a few determined individuals can inspire social change as it assembles interviews with the founding members of the eco-‐minded organization Greenpeace. The activists reflect upon their grassroots effort, which began with a few highly cinematic episodes of radicalism that thrust them into the spotlight.
They protest nuclear testing in Alaska with little rewards, aside from rallying a good deal of consciousness from the masses. This effort leads to something greater, though, as the time spent at sea in a little boat filled with passion and forward-‐thinking will power looked to the waters and saw a new worthy cause: the whales. How to Change the World offers a riveting adventure of the high seas as Greenpeace confronts the brutal poaching of humpback whales en masse by the Russians. Spectacularly gut-‐wrenching footage of butchered whales drifting at sea and geysers of blood erupting from the hulls of seafaring killing floors show the unethical treatment of the natural world that Greenpeace brought to the spotlight. The troupe’s confrontation with the whalers’ harpoon gun is amazing, and a gripping account that marks a turning point for what one small group can do to bring attention to a cause. The next episode, though, in which Greenpeace looks to save the cute, cuddly seals of Newfoundland, brings about a change in temperature. The group divides itself between the ideal and the real as some members want to pursue what is right while others accept the fact that the financial burden of taking on two causes isn’t realistic for a non-‐profit collective. The film teaches audiences that tangible, large-‐scale change comes not through radical maverick action, but through cooperation and, occasionally, compromise. The rogue and, one could argue, defiant moves that some individuals within Greenpeace make with the seal trade shows that it takes a lot more than ideology to change the world. This rift within Greenpeace, as well as the turns of another founding member, asks audiences how the left can enact substantial change through efforts held together by charity and good vibes that clash with the methods of the mainstream. Some middle ground is needed. Surprisingly enough, How to Change the World argues that an organization isn't necessarily the answer for saving the world. The film shows many of the drawbacks to Greenpeace and many of its failings, which hint at avenues of improvement for forward-‐thinkers. The green movement is larger than any one group, so Rothwell's portrait of the group extends to viewers the hypothesis that the real solution lies in the foundation of Greenpeace itself: a network of individuals united by passion and ideology is enough. How to Change the World should inspire environmentalists and filmmakers alike with its eye-‐opening footage of the beginnings of one of the most significant contemporary movements. The archival footage is a treasure trove of both activism and maverick filmmaking: the footage itself is journalist in nature, but How to Change the World assembles it so artfully and intelligently that it's bound to plant seeds in a new movement. The objective portrait makes the necessity of groups like Greenpeace all the more urgent, while the strong endnotes on the death of Rob Hunter and the activism of his daughter Emily ushers in a new generation of revolutionaries. Rating: ★★★★ (out of ★★★★★)
Hot Docs Announces 17 Special Presentation Screenings By: Shipra Harbola Gupta | February 26, 2015 http://www.indiewire.com/article/hot-‐docs-‐announces-‐17-‐special-‐presentation-‐screenings-‐20150226 The Canadian documentary film festival Hot Docs has released the names of 17 films that will be screening as part of the festival's Special Presentation section. HOW TO CHANGE THE WORLD D: Jerry Rothwell | UK, Canada | 2015 | 112 min | Canadian Premiere In the early 1970s, a group of young Canadians combined forces to create Greenpeace. Using interviews and previously unseen footage, this is the story of a group of friends who set out to change the world.
Hot Docs: How To Change The World, Best of Enemies, The Wolfpack Reviews By: Jacqueline Valencia | April 19, 2015
http://nextprojection.com/2015/04/19/hot-‐docs-‐change-‐world-‐best-‐enemies-‐wolfpack-‐reviews/
Once a year, the city of Toronto gets together to celebrate the art of documentary film. From poetic film essays to journalistic observational accounts, documentaries are the analytic eye to varied slices of life that we are prone to miss. This year, Hot Docs brings a selection that is full of diverse stories and fascinating fare. Here’s your first batch of capsule reviews. How To Change The World (2015) Dir. Jerry Rothwell Bob Hunter: “How do you deal with power?” Alan Ginsberg: “Let go of it before it freeze in your hands.” In 1971, the U.S. announced they would undertake a nuclear weapons test on the island of Amchitka, Alaska. A ship called The Greenpeace full of environmental activists sailed from Vancouver to face off with the U.S. government’s plans, only to be forced back. Feeling defeated, they arrived home surprised to be hailed as heroes. News of their efforts had become international news. Among those activists was Vancouver Sun reporter Bob Hunter. These were the beginnings of the environmental group called Greenpeace. How to Change The World traces the group from its radical beginnings to the organization it is now. Focusing on one of its unassuming founders, the late Bob Hunter, the film employs archival 16mm footage and engaging interviews with those that were there at the group’s inception. As a direct result of the counterculture movements of the 1960s, which included hippies, fisherman, and draft dodgers, the group was fearless in its early campaigns. They managed to uncover the illegal killing of immature whales by the Russians at a time when whaling was almost unregulated. The treasure trove archival footage is mixed with a bit of animation extolling the enthusiasm for the young activists while still holding a journalistic eye towards flawed inner workings of the movement. Poetic prose from Hunter’s own writings are interspersed, exhibiting a central spirit of compassion and humble leadership in its journalist founder. Although probing, the film doesn’t go too deep, but the film flows extremely well. Even if you are not a fan of Greenpeace, portraits like this do what a documentary is suppose to do: expose while making its story sympathetic to its audience.
HOT DOCS 2015: HOW TO CHANGE THE WORLD By: Greg Klymkiw | April 26, 2015 http://klymkiwfilmcorner.blogspot.ca/2015/04/hot-‐docs-‐2015-‐how-‐to-‐change-‐world.html How To Change The World (2015) Dir. Jerry Rothwell Review By Greg Klymkiw Preamble: A few things about Robert (Bob) Hunter that contribute, for me personally, to his legendary perch in Canadian history.
"If we wait for the meek to inherit the earth, there won't be anything left to inherit" -‐ Robert Hunter Robert (Bob) Hunter was many things. Mostly, I just always thought he was cool. And well, you'd kind of have to be that to have accomplished so much in so short a time (he died of cancer at age 63). As a dyed-‐in-‐the-‐wool Winnipegger, I especially thought it was cool, given Robert Hunter's deep concern for Canada's Aboriginal people, that he was born in the City of St. Boniface which eventually amalgamated with all the wonky neighbourhood city-‐states along the Red, Assiniboine and Seine Rivers of Manitoba to become -‐ you guessed it, Winnipeg. All this rich land, which not only became the city we all know and hate/love (plus all points north-‐south-‐east-‐ and-‐west) historically belonged to the Metis Nation, but was torn from their possession by the Canadian Government's land transfer scrip system which was virtually useless except to rich white guys who knew how to push it through the complicated bureaucracy to actually cash it in. The vast majority of uprooted Metis were
starving, so they sold their scrip to the rich white guys, for pennies on the dollar. Even more interesting to me was that Hunter's birthplace in St. Boniface ended up being the one community which contributed the most to Manitoba becoming (even now) Canada's largest French-‐speaking region outside of Quebec. Why? Many of the displaced Metis were also targets for violence because of the 1870 Louis Riel wars against the corrupt rich white guys of Winnipeg and the eastern power-‐brokers who held a vicelike grip upon the government of Canada. This resulted in a huge number of Metis forcing their Native heritage underground and bringing their French heritage to the fore and living in -‐ you guessed it, St. Boniface. His tenure as a columnist at the Winnipeg Tribune and Vancouver Sun was before my time. I didn't even become aware of him as a journalist until I moved to Toronto in the early 90s and began watching CITY-‐TV (when it actually had a real personality thanks to its eventually-‐departed head Moses Znaimer). Here, I began to enjoy the amazingly cool, almost Hunter S. Thompson-‐like "environmental reporter and commentator. I was soon compelled to begin reading his books wherein I discovered that he was Bob Hunter, the heart, soul and public face of the environmental groupGreenpeace. This, for me, was virtually cooler-‐than-‐cool and when he passed away in 2005, I was genuinely saddened that we'd lost him. Thankfully, this film now exists. It's not a biographical documentary of Robert (Bob) Hunter, but in many ways, it might as well be. And now, the Film Review proper: There were many things about Hunter I didn't know after all these years and I'm grateful to director Jerry Rothwell for his almost-‐epic-‐like motion picture documentary How To Change The World which presents a side of this great Canadian that was not only fresh to my already-‐admiring eyes, but kind of jettisons Hunter into some supreme inter-‐stellar glowing orb of coolness. Rothwell poured over hundreds of 16mm rolls of film that had been canned and unopened since the 1970s. Seeing, pretty much before his very eyes, the visual history of the Greenpeace organization, Rothwell consulted with Hunter's colleagues, foes, conducting fresh interviews with all of them, blending the result of Herculean research and expertly selected and edited footage from the Greenpeace Archives. (The fact that Hunter was so brilliantly media-‐savvy pretty much accounts for this wealth of material even existing.) What we get is the story of a respected counter-‐culture columnist who aligns himself with a motley assortment of friends and colleagues (most of them of the 60s/70s "hippie" persuasion) to head out on a boat in an attempt to stop nuclear testing on a remote island in the Pacific Ocean and then, with the same bunch, to go tearing after Russian sailors butchering whales up and down the coast of the Pacific Northwest. The campaigns continued and somewhere along the way, the movement of Greenpeace was formed. With both the existing archival footage and the new interviews, Rothwell has painted an indelible portrait -‐ not only of the key events in the movement, but the individuals themselves -‐ as disparate a cast of characters you could ever imagine. What makes them cool is how different they are as people, but as such, they each bring
individual qualities to the movement that had a symbiotic relationship -‐ for a time. As is the won't of anything or anyone growing beyond initial beginnings, egos as well as legitimate desires/directions begin to rear their ugly heads and minor cracks in the "vessel" become tectonic plates, yielding high-‐Richter-‐scale fractures. In addition to the dazzling filmmaking, I was swept away onto the high seas and weed-‐clouded back rooms of Greenpeace thanks to the perfectly selected and abundant readings of Bob Hunter's exceptional reads. Embodying Hunter is the magnificent character actor Barry Pepper who delivers us the man's words with the kind of emotion which goes so far beyond "narration". Pepper captures the soul of Hunter impeccably. It's a brilliant performance. (If anyone does a biopic of Hunter, Pepper is the MAN!!! The first two-‐thirds of the movie is compulsive viewing. The first third, focusing upon seafaring derring-‐do is nail-‐bitingly thrilling. With Bob Hunter at the helm of some totally crazy-‐ass dangerous antics -‐ like some mad, dope-‐smoking, Sterling-‐Hayden lookalike -‐ Rothwell creates a veritable action picture on the high seas with an obsessive Captain Ahab targeting not whales, but the hunters of whales. (So much of the film is charged with a great selection of period hit songs and a gorgeous original score by Lesley Barber also.) Who'd have thought environmental activism could be as thrilling as Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey-‐Maturin "Master and Commander" adventures? The middle section begins focusing on the leaks in the organizational battleship that became Greenpeace. Mixing in more derring-‐do with internal conflicts is easily as thrilling as the intrigue-‐ elements of O'Brian's high-‐seas swashbucklers. The final third of the film tends to fall by the wayside a touch. It's not Rothwell's doing, as that of -‐ gasp -‐ real life. There's a great deal of sadness and acrimony in this section of the film and part of me wishes that life didn't throw the kind of curve-‐balls that surprise your favourite batter at the plate into striking out. This is ultimately a minor quibble though, in light of the sheer force, power and entertainment value of the picture. What epics don't suffer from a sag or three? At least this one eventually builds to a note of well deserved and earned high notes and the movie finally packs a major one-‐two emotional punch. When this happens, tears might well be flowing amongst many and the lapses of real life will be fleeting, especially when you exit the cinema feeling, "Goddamn! That was one HELL of a good show!" The Film Corner Rating: **** Four Stars How To Change The World is making its Canadian Premiere at the 2015 edition of the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival. Visit the Hot Docs website for dates, showtimes and tickets by clicking HERE.
TORONTO TIPSHEET: WHAT WE'RE DOING THIS WEEKEND By: Anthony Burton | April 24, 2015 https://nowtoronto.com/news/think-‐free-‐blog/toronto-‐tipsheet-‐april-‐24/ HOT DOCS Hot Docs is in full swing this weekend, and there’s a lot to sort through. Check out our Hot Docs 2015 section, featuring a huge number of reviews (we’ve lost count), showtimes and interviews with comedian Tig Notaro and Eco Media activist Emily Hunter. And don’t forget: Students and seniors can attend any daytime screenings for free -‐ including our top picks for the year.
How To Change The World By: Kevin Scott | April 30, 2015
http://exclaim.ca/Film/article/how_to_change_world-‐jerry_rothwell
While it may be tempting to look at the innumerable environmental issues facing our planet and throw your hands up in resignation at how overwhelming solving them can appear, it's somehow significantly less daunting considering how Greenpeace was formed in a basement with little more than a group of idealistic dreamers. Charting the organization from its humble origins through its rise to prominence and lasting legacy, How To Change The World is an inspiring, exhilarating and funny look at how a group of eco-‐warriors defied the odds to make a difference. Greenpeace emerged from protests of America's nuclear testing program in Alaska in the early '70s. Robert Hunter, a columnist for the Vancouver Sun, was instrumental in organizing a group to sail out in a dilapidated fishing boat to try and put a halt to the experiments. Though their efforts may have failed in their eyes, they did succeed in raising global awareness, and launched an environmental movement. Despite Hunter being a reluctant leader, the group grew exponentially in both
resources and manpower, directing its increasing influence towards the inhumane practices of Soviet whaling fleets and eventually even the horrors of the Canadian seal hunt in the Maritimes. We're introduced to some of the hippies and tree-‐ huggers who devoted their lives to the cause and are heartened to learn in their modern-‐day interviews that many are still determined to let their freak flag fly, like the one luxuriously-‐bearded man who continues to go by his adopted name of Walrus. An abundance of stock footage allows the viewer to vicariously experience what it was like aboard the boat when the group set out to enact change through its guerrilla tactics. Hunter and his cohorts were acutely aware of how images had the unique power to implant a "mind bomb" that could then spread virally, and it's astonishing to observe how they didn't hesitate to place themselves in harm's way to get the perfect shot. The film also doesn't pull any punches though when it comes to the organizational and financial troubles that plagued Greenpeace throughout its existence. From lawsuits to power struggles within the organization, it's apparent that not everyone saw eye-‐to-‐eye when it came to how issues should be prioritized, and one member's complete transformation over the years is downright startling. But what endures is Hunter's quixotic vision — captured in his poetic writing that's narrated here by actor Barry Pepper — which has now clearly been handed down to future generations, including his activist daughter.
Greenpeace co-‐founder Robert Hunter’s humble legacy” By: Stephen Bede Scharper | April 26, 2015 http://www.thestar.com/opinion/commentary/2015/04/26/greenpeace-‐co-‐founder-‐robert-‐hunters-‐humble-‐ legacy.html
“Ninety per cent of history is being in the right place at the right time.” So echo the words of Greenpeace co-‐founder Robert Hunter, whose death 10 years ago May 2 was marked Sunday at Hot Docs, the Canadian International Documentary Film Festival, with the Toronto premier of How to Change the World. The writings and heretofore-‐unseen Greenpeace footage of Hunter, the quietly charismatic journalist-‐cum-‐activist and Greenpeace’s first president, form the fulcrum over which this compelling documentary unfolds. Hunter describes the “strange brew” of historical events and colourful characters that swirled into the formation of the Vancouver-‐spawned Greenpeace, now one of the largest environmental
organizations on the planet, with over three million members and a presence in over 40 countries around the world. As Hunter observes, Vancouver in 1971 was home to “the biggest concentration of tree huggers, draft-‐dodgers, s-‐-‐t-‐disturbing unionists, radical students, garbage dump stoppers, freeway fighters, pot smokers, vegetarians, nudists, Buddhists, fish preservationists and back-‐to-‐the-‐landers on the planet.” “And we were all haunted by the spectre of a dead world.” As the film details, the catalyst for the movement was the planned underground detonation of a five-‐ megaton nuclear bomb in Amchitka, a windswept island in the Alaskan Aleutians where two previous nuclear tests had been staged. A columnist for the Vancouver Sun at the time, Hunter volunteered to join a small group of activist mariners dubbing themselves the “Don’t Make a Wave” committee on a dubious “voyage into a bomb” in an effort to curtail, or at least complicate, the scheduled detonation. Though the effort to stop the blast was unsuccessful, the resulting publicity and widespread public interest led to what Hunter termed a “mind bomb,” a type of pre-‐Internet “going viral” of an idea that rapidly ripples across the consciousness of a wide swath of human minds simultaneously. It was in the fallout of such a “mind bomb” that the idea of Greenpeace was born, uniting a concern for peace and a passion for the earth. Like geneticist David Suzuki, who shifted from academic research to public engagement owing to the urgency of the eco-‐crisis, Hunter was also compelled to segue from paid chronicler to front-‐line activist owing to the urgency of the times. For the film’s director, Jerry Rothwell, one surprising response to the film (which won an editing award at the Sundance Film Festival and will be available for theatrical release in Canada this summer) is how many viewers said they “didn’t expect to enjoy the film, but did.” This mirrors a discovery Rothwell made during the seven years of filming. In a recent conversation, he mentioned that one thing all the people he interviewed shared was “a love of Bob Hunter,” despite wide ideological and political differences. Hunter’s non-‐ego-‐driven, self-‐critical approach helped equip him with a “unique talent” to bring diverse people together for a common cause. But his spiritual sense of interconnectedness might also have had something to do with it. Years ago, during a stint as guest on his City TV show, Hunter’s Gatherings, I chatted with Hunter about his own sense of interconnectedness of all reality, a spiritual sense of unity that marked his life and activism. According to Emily Hunter, Robert and Bobbi Hunter’s youngest child and a dynamic eco-‐journalist and filmmaker in her own right, her dad was “always spiritual.” Though raised in an agnostic household, Emily observed that her father explored Buddhist and other Asian spiritual traditions in order to help “tame the ego.” Seeing the devastating effects of unbridled egos in both Greenpeace and beyond, Robert Hunter’s humility spoke to an understanding of humans not being superior to, but in deep connection with, other species, such as whales, whose protection became a key organizing focus for the group, and whose actions helped lead to the banning of commercial whaling. The question remains: Was it Hunter’s deeply spiritual sense of interconnection that enabled him to successfully navigate the choppy waters of fame and celebrity— whirlpools that continue to capsize so many?
Greenpeace Sparked a Revolution. It's Time For Another By: Emily Hunter | April 27, 2015 http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/emily-‐hunter/greenpeace-‐climate-‐change_b_7143986.html
It's funny how history repeats itself. I had known the stories of my parents and their so-‐called "glory days" of activism in 1970s all too well. They were the stories of ordinary young people doing the extraordinary in protecting our planet -‐-‐ creating ripple effects that would change the course of history. Yet little did I know how their stories were a premonition of my own generation's narrative in the making. In the newly released film How to Change the World, a feature-‐length documentary by Jerry Rothwell, the birth of Greenpeace and the stories of my parents have been given new life. Growing up as a little girl with these tall tales, they were just bedtime stories -‐-‐ nothing more. While I knew they were true, I had not yet seen how young people could galvanize and bend political power to their will in my own life. I had only been told about it like some great mythical legend that was only true generations ago. It wasn't until seeing my parent's story alive again on the screen that I realized how relevant it is today. In Vancouver in 1971, a group of friends set sail into the heart of Richard Nixon's nuclear test blast off an Alaskan island called Amchitka. They were not heroes, but a loose group of hippies, journalists, draft dodgers, mystics and mechanics -‐ -‐ hell bent on ending an apocalyptic scenario before it could start. But by putting their bodies in harms way they did more than civil disobedience -‐ -‐ they planted a "mind bomb" and helped to spark the modern day environmental movement.
My father, Robert Hunter, had coined the term "mind bomb" as an expression that our greatest tool for revolution was our own consciousness. He believed that mass media (early broadcast media at the time) could help spark that consciousness shift and a societal shift by changing the story of our times. The story of human domination over the planet gets switched with a story of human stewardship over the planet. In their campaign, through powerful images and video of a small group of people attempting to stop a nuclear blast -‐-‐ the new human story of human stewardship is planted. Soon the roots begin to grow in our minds... as did a movement. This moment was the birth of Greenpeace, one of the largest environmental organizations today, and my father would come to be its founding president. As heroic as this story sounds, what I've come to realize is it's not entirely unique to my father and Greenpeace alone. It's in fact a very human story -‐-‐ a story of human capacity for change and our desire for a better world. This story is being repeated today and in more ways than seemingly possible. For the fight in the 1970's to stop the nuclear bomb is the same fight we have to stop our "climate bomb" today. One bomb was a quick, reacting blast that could eliminate all life like the puff of smoke that hit Hiroshima, Japan. The other is a slower, and therefore more confusing blast that could warm the earth up, eliminating our chances of a habitable planet for the entire human species and many of the species we share this world with. But just as the youth culture of the 1970s galvanized against nuclear, so too I have witnessed in my own generation a rising force against climate change over the last ten years. Yet both represent a 'David and Goliath' battle. Living in the post Cold War era, as my parents did, there were highly vested interests politically and economically in the nuclear arms proliferation. But especially after the OPEC oil crisis of the mid-‐1970's, even more vested interests have driven our fossil dependency with hundreds of billions invested in coal, oil and gas. These were and are not simple battles to fight, as they challenge existing power structures. But yet in the face of the impossible, the Boomer generation did exert a new power from the bottom up, what we would call "people-‐power" today. I believe they did this through that media "mind bomb," creating culture clashing moments that shift what is possible for ourselves, such as activists on a Greenpeace boat that attempt to stop a nuclear test blast. It was these kinds of moments that sparked a consciousness shift in people that inadvertently build the kind of political pressure from citizens that changed our society. For later on, nuclear testing both underground and over-‐ground in the United States became outlawed and it was one more step to ending a nuclear holocaust.
Ending our own climate thermageddon is our challenge today and our defining issue. Perhaps climate change is even more staggering of a crisis and seemingly improbable of a fight than nuclear. As we must keep 80 per cent of known fossil fuels reserves in the ground if we are to keep global temperature rise to 2C (often pitted as the safe threshold temperature), yet most of those reserves are already on the books and scheduled to be poured into our atmosphere. But it is that sense of impossibility that we must challenge -‐-‐ that sense of "giving up" that must be thwarted. To do that we must tell ourselves a new story, those of our human stewardship of our climate, not domination. We must share those "mind bomb" moments and spread them virally with our modern-‐ day media tools, that of digital and social media. But not just sitting back and trolling the hashtags of social movements, we also must create these moments and make this new story true. I believe my generation is doing just that and there is a sense of possibility in our fight against climate change. Just last week, Canada had its largest climate rally in our history with over 25,000 people forming a human thermometer, while thelargest climate march in the world took place last September with 700,000 people taking part worldwide. On campuses, astudent movement has taken shape to divest (the opposite of invest) billions of dollars from endowment funds in major educational, religious and municipal institutions as a moral imperative. Following this, Pope Francis recently joined the efforts and is hosting a climate summit later this month with leading scientists and United Nations Secretary-‐ General Ban Ki-‐moon. The "mind bomb" moments are growing and permeating in our culture and economic trends. Oil prices have dropped from $100 a barrel last summer to $50 today, showing that our plans for "economic supremacy" with the Alberta Tar Sands is only economically bankrupt as jobs and prospects are being lost. Yet renewable investment is on the rise, as Bloomberg Business announced "the world is now adding more capacity for renewable power each year than coal, natural gas, and oil combined." By 2030, renewable energy capacity will be four-‐times fold than fossil fuels if we continue on this trend. The reality is the tides are turning. Despite the stories of impossibility in the fight against climate change, there are some new stories being written of possibility. It will still take many more of us -‐-‐ millions and billions of us -‐-‐ to continue to share these news stories and to create the "mind bomb" moments. But I think we are on the verge of repeating history again. The kind of history my parents told me that proved our human capacity for changing our world for the better. It's starting to be the kind of story I want to tell to my own children one day.
The top 20 films to see at Hot Docs 2015 By: Sima Sahar Zerehi | April 13, 2015 http://www.blogto.com/film/2015/04/the_top_20_films_to_see_at_hot_docs_2015/ The 2015 Hot Docs festival is the place to be if you're a fan of great documentary films. From April 23 to May 3, Hot Docs will showcase over 200 documentaries from around the world. The films range from must-‐see classics to experimental projects using new media tools. Here are my top picks of what to see at Hot Docs 2015. CANADIAN FILMS How to Change the World In the early 1970s Vancouver was a hotbed of activism with a huge population of tree huggers, draft dodgers, shit disturbing unionists, and radical students. This is the setting that inspired a group of young Canadians to come together to create Greenpeace and the face of environmental activism. Jerry Rthwell's film tells the story of these friends using never before seen footage of the early days of Greenpeace.
What to see at Hot Docs 2015
By: Peter Howell and Linda Barnard | April 22, 2015 http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/movies/2015/04/22/what-‐to-‐see-‐at-‐hot-‐docs-‐2015.html The Star’s film writers pick the best bets from 210 documentaries screening at Hot Docs, which runs April 23 to May 3. How to Change the World: Jerry Rothwell’s Canada/UK co-‐production tells the story of the environmental pioneers who in 1971 began the anti-‐nuke protests that led to the creation of Greenpeace. Almost a “found footage” movie, it makes excellent use of 1,500 archived 16mm reels supplemented with fresh interviews and some animation. The doc reveals how idealism, bravery and accident (“Greenpeace” was originally a banner slogan) came together to forge a global movement to save the planet. And there’s both comedy and drama in the disparate personalities who bonded, struggled and clashed: the late Bob Hunter, an ex-‐journalist and reluctant leader; firebrand Paul Watson, still a no-‐surrender warrior against whalers; and pragmatic Patrick Moore, whose moderate vision is too corporate for many. (April 26, 1 p.m., Bloor; April 27, 9:30 p.m., Bloor.) P.H.
Hot Docs // Staff Picks: Evan By: Evan Arppe | April 17, 2015 http://www.chch.com/hot-‐docs-‐staff-‐picks-‐evan/
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS: In the early 1970s, a group of young Canadians combined forces to create Greenpeace. Using interviews and previously unseen footage, this is the story of a group of friends who set out to change the world. Directed by Jerry Rothwell. This look at the creation and early days of Greenpeace gets its Canadian premiere at Hot Docs after wowing audiences at Sundance. Reviews have been great, praising the film for it’s uplifting underdog story filled with never-‐before-‐seen footage. I like my rousing calls to action served with a nice dose of feel-‐good humanism and How to Change the World looks to have it. Also I realized at the end of making this list that all my other picks were American films, but this one’s Canadian! The Hot Docs film festival runs in Toronto from April 23rd to May 1st. Head over to hotdocs.ca for more information and tickets.
Preserving analog lives in a digital world: Howell By: Peter Howell | April 23, 2015 http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/movies/2015/04/23/preserving-‐analog-‐lives-‐in-‐ a-‐digital-‐world-‐howell.html Several movies at the Hot Docs Festival make use of old analog materials to tell their compelling stories. What happens when all human memories become locked in a digital whirl? There are other films at Hot Docs 2015 that make similar compelling use of pre-‐digital resources: Jerry Rothwell’s How to Change the World taps into dozens of reels of rarely seen 16mm film for a captivating portrait of the birth of Greenpeace; Ross Sutherland’s Stand by for Tape Back-‐up rewinds and revisits an ancient VHS tape for a meditation on family, time and memory.
Hot Docs 2015 radiates with personal, high-‐ stakes stories By: June Chua | April 2-‐, 2015
http://rabble.ca/columnists/2015/04/hot-‐docs-‐2015-‐radiates-‐personal-‐high-‐stakes-‐stories Hot Docs 2015 has a lineup with some fabulous documentaries this year and as I peruse the pickings, I see it's going back to some fundamentals. Over the years, North America's biggest documentary showcase has become a glossy panorama of over-‐produced, TV-‐centric films. This year, I'm finding a lot of personal films, focussing on individuals and their challenges, that harken back to basics. Consider that the 11-‐day festival launches in Toronto on April 24 with Tig Notaro, the American comedian who opened her act in 2012 with "Good evening, I have cancer." With brutal humour, Notaro faces her condition and her audiences head-‐on. I can't think of a better film to set the tone for this year's festival, which is screening 210 documentaries from 45 countries. How to Change the World How to Change the World (dir. Jerry Rothwell) unravels the beginnings of Greenpeace in the Vancouver of the early '70s. Never-‐before-‐seen footage of those days spike the film with plenty of action -‐-‐ from clashing with U.S. authorities to dangerous confrontations with Russian whaling ships. The story is told through three of the movement's most well-‐known leaders: Bob Hunter, Paul Watson and Patrick Moore, who quit the group in 1986 and essentially became anti-‐Greenpeace. The shenanigans, backbiting and real-‐life risks of the movement are brought to light in a film that is captivating to its core. Rothwell's film is at heart, a nostalgic and poetic paean to Hunter -‐-‐ the journalist/activist who spearheaded the movement in its infancy. Hunter is posited as the "glue" of the organization and it's surprising to learn he reluctantly bore the mantle of leader. "I've always hated leaders," the narration intones. "[When] I realized I'd become group 'father' I felt nauseated." Watson's injection into the group during the protest over Newfoundland's seal hunt sparked what would become the group's undoing. Some of Greenpeace's senior members blame Watson for taking the movement into more dangerous territory -‐-‐ physical confrontations and property damage. Eventually, the movement survives Moore's defection and a period of extreme expansion in which it lost its way. The film is a bittersweet ode to a movement whose call to arms has only gotten more urgent in these times of climate change.
10 Films to See At Hot Docs 2015 By: Jenn Reid | April 20, 2015
http://www.toronto.com/articles/10-‐films-‐to-‐see-‐at-‐hot-‐docs-‐2015/
Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival is back this week, with more than 180 documentaries from around the globe. Running from April 23 to May 5, there’s chances to catch docs about famous comedians, international crime and intrigue, human stories and way more. We’ve pored through the schedule, and picked out a handful of films that we think are must-‐sees. Take a look at our choices below, or check out the full Hot Docs schedule for more. How to Change The World Go inside the origins of Greenpeace in Vancouver 1971, and see how the world’s largest activist organization got its start as an eclectic group of hippies, scientists, journalists and draft-‐dodgers. Using unseen footage from the early days of Greenpeace, How to Change the World follows the group as they confront Russian whaling fleets, demonstrate against U.S. policies and come to blows with each other on the best course of activism. Showtimes & Theatres
Hot Docs films to include look at Kurt Cobain, Canadian comedians By: The Canadian Press | February 25, 2015
http://www.news1130.com/2015/02/25/hot-‐docs-‐films-‐to-‐include-‐look-‐at-‐kurt-‐cobain-‐canadian-‐comedians/
Other selections include Sundance award-‐winners “Dreamcatcher,” the Greenpeace origins tale “How to Change the World,” and “Western,” about two towns straddling the US-‐Mexico border that previously existed in harmony.
Environmental films feature strongly at this year’s Hot Docs By: Green Heroes | April 30, 2015
http://greenheroes.tv/environmental-‐films-‐feature-‐strongly-‐at-‐this-‐years-‐hot-‐docs/
It’s an amazing line-‐up of movies this year. With so many to choose from, it was hard decide which to see and which to wait until their theatrical or Netflix release. I did count myself lucky to be among one of two packed audiences at the Bloor Hot Docs theatre to see the Canadian premiere of the Greenpeace bio pic How to Change the World. Having worked on several stories about Greenpeace and its co-‐founder Robert Hunter, it was particularly rewarding to see (and hear) how British director, Jerry Rothwell, used the narrative from Hunter’s eight books to bring the Greenpeace story to the big screen. Casting Hunter as the reluctant leader of an eclectic band of early Greenpeace co-‐ founders, the film follows these unlikely heroes through three key campaigns: The initial voyage to stop nuclear testing on the island of Amchitka, the campaign to save the whales from Russian whalers off the coast of California, and the controversial campaign to stop the annual seal hunt in Newfoundland. The documentary uses these three chapters as acts to show the inspiration and pluck, struggle and success, and eventual breakup of the founding team. CineFocus Canada’s own film Greenpeace, A Canadian Discovery was produced in 1996 for the Discovery Channel to celebrate the organization’s 25th anniversary. Be sure to check out Green Heroes’ short video profile and the half hour TV episode for more inside stories of Greenpeace from Hunter’s daughter, Emily and his wife Bobbi. More than 40 years later, it is still incredibly moving to hear the passion of the original founders and see their exploits come to life in footage of their fantastic and inspired voyages. It’s an experience not to be missed. Watch How to Change the World when it airs on CTV in December 2015 or look for it at an upcoming film festival.
HOT DOCS ANNOUNCES SELECTION OF SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS FOR THE 2015 FESTIVAL March 4, 2015
http://filmmakerafrica.co.za/hot-‐docs-‐announces-‐selection-‐special-‐presentations-‐2015-‐festival/
Hot Docs, North America’s largest documentary festival, conference and market, will present its 22nd annual edition from April 23 to May 3, 2015. The festival recently announced 17 documentary features that will be a part of this year’s Special Presentations programme, a high-‐profile collection of world and international premieres, award-‐winners from the recent international festival circuit and works by master filmmakers or featuring some star subjects. These films will screen as part of the 2015 Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival. The complete Special Presentations program and the full selection of films to screen at Hot Docs 2015 will be announced on March 17, including the 2015 opening night film. Ticket packages and passes are now on sale online. Other documentaries on the Special presentations bill include Democrats by Camilla Nielsson, A Different Drummer: Celebrating Eccentrics by John Zaritsky, acclaimed filmmaker Kim Longinotto’s Dreamcatcher and Tonje Hessen Schei’s Drone. Every Last Child by Tom Roberts, How to Change the World by Jerry Rothwell, Brett Morgen’s portrayal of a music legend in Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck, The Last Mogul by Barry Avrich, Paris is Burning by Jennie Livingston, Lyric R. Cabral and David Felix Sutcliffe’s Sundance award winner (T)Error, Matthias Bittner’sWar of Lies, Welcome to Leith by Michael Beach Nichols and Christopher K Walker and Western, by Bill Ross IV, Turner Ross have also been announced for the programme. An outstanding selection of approximately 200 documentaries from Canada and around the world will be presented to Toronto audiences and international delegates. Hot Docs will also mount a full roster of conference sessions and market events and services for documentary practitioners, including the renowned Hot Docs Forum, Hot Docs Deal Maker and The Doc Shop. In partnership with Blue Ice Group, Hot Docs operates the Bloor Hot Docs Cinema, a century-‐old landmark located in Toronto’s Annex neighbourhood. For more information or to book tickets visit www.hotdocs.ca
All pictures taken by GAT during the festival are located here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/97627695@N03/sets/721576522086 40312
We have gathered social media reactions generated at Hot Docs here: https://storify.com/gatpr/how-‐to-‐change-‐the-‐world-‐canadian-‐ premiere-‐at-‐hotdo
Publicity handled by GAT PR