As much as it may seem like Greta Thunberg could be a puppet that's been planted to further a cause, that couldn't be further from the truth. Greta started her climate protest completely alone, sitting outside the Swedish parliament with her little placard, just over 2yrs ago, and in many ways, she's still alone. All of the media frenzy and being put on a pedestal were never something that she wanted, but her drive has remained the same right from day one.
The film begins with her sitting on a small sailing boat careering across the width of the Atlantic Ocean in treacherous seas to avoid the need for flying. Even at 16, she is prepared to do what she has to, to avoid the venom of her detractors, and there have been many detractors, up to and including several known Presidents.
Whats really cringeworthy in the film is how so many politicians want to take a selfie with her, clearly to make it look like they're doing something proactive, but Gretas (quite obvious) refusal to smile in these self centred attempts at righteousness makes the photos speak for themselves.
Its a bizarre world where grown men and women will attack a child, even including making fun of her Aspergers, when they feel the silver lined status quo they have been enjoying might be getting threatened. But Greta has never said anything that isn't based on science, but then most people don't read science, they read football scores, watch celebrities on TV, and snack on their McDonald's. How dare a little girl suggest that all is not well on Planet Earth? I mean that's just not right, is it? But hey the Pope says he's behind her, and the "entire Catholic world" too, so maybe those death threats she gets arent too much to worry about. Not yet anyway.
This is not a particularly happy film, the scenes later on in the movie where she's on that small yacht (crossing the Atlantic) crying and wondering what's she's doing, is magnified by the ghostly wail of the wind in the rigging and no land in sight. But here we are, looking at a child bringing more attention to the climate cause than any adult probably ever has. It's enough to make most of us feel inadequate.
The conclusion shows what happened in September 2019, just one year after Gretas one girl protest in Sweden, where over 7million people across the world marched to make their voices heard about the lack of action on climate issues. And this will undoubtedly go on, despite the (diminishing number of) detractors that are out there. I guess you just can't ignore what's happening any longer.
An interest documentary if you want a little insight into how things started.
