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