i am greta

★★★★★

documentary
 

REVIEWER: lyall carter

Documentary follows teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg on her international crusade to get people to listen to scientists about the world's environmental problems.

I care about the environment. I recycle, look for more sustainable products and try to eat less red meat. I said try. 

But I’m kinda agnostic, I suppose, when it comes to becoming super ‘evangelistic’ about it. Until this film. I’ve never been on a climate march and I only know Greta Thunberg from the news. So, before this film, I wasn’t a fan. Again, agnostic. But I Am Greta had me weeping in my seat, convicted to do more for the climate and genuinely blown away with how extraordinary Greta Thunberg really is.  

The story of teenage climate activist Greta Thunberg is told through compelling, never-before-seen footage in this intimate documentary from Swedish director Nathan Grossman. Starting with her one-person school strike for climate action outside the Swedish Parliament, Grossman follows Greta—a shy student with Asperger’s—in her rise to prominence and her galvanizing global impact as she sparks school strikes around the world. The film culminates with her extraordinary wind-powered voyage across the Atlantic Ocean to speak at the UN Climate Action Summit in New York City.

Looking at the IMDB score for this film makes me suspect that people who don't like Thunberg's message have got to the score and are trying to scare people away from the film. Even when I posted about this film the negative reaction is like nothing I’ve seen before.

I know I’ve said it before but I genuinely knew very little of Thunberg before this apart from what I’d seen on the news and a few conspiracy theories about her. 

So my humble suggestion is to put aside whatever your thoughts are on Greta Thunberg and whether climate change is real or not and experience this film. Whether you agree with her beliefs or not Greta truly is an incredible young lady. 

I Am Greta wonderfully documents Greta’s journey into activism and all the challenges that come her way because of the course she has chosen to take. What really struck me in this film was her absolute unwavering commitment to her cause and to bringing change in the world. 

We see her unwavering commitment to protesting outside parliament no matter if she was alone or whatever the weather, taking the more difficult transport options instead of flying to places and forming her own voice even when it isn’t popular. Also her father’s love and support was pretty heartwarming to witness. 

What caused me to weep, what caused me to walk away from this film and mull over it for days was that we need more Greta’s. More young people to take up the cause not only of environmentalism but also to tackle inequality, housing, education and the list goes on and on. Because with some more Greta’s the world could truly change for the better. 

I Am Greta will move you to the core. One of the best films of 2020. Don’t miss it.