THE POWER OF ACTIVISM shines a timely and positive light on a group of young Australians who are challenging how governments, major companies and communities think about the environment, sustainability and the choices we all make every day.
Creator/Producer Michelle provided a free, unique and exclusive learning program for 7 secondary schools across Australia ; in QLD, NSW, VIC, TAS, SA and WA.
2024 focused on the recruitment and engagement of the schools and the planning for project delivery in 2025. The program uses the documentary to activate real world project-based learning. The film is screened to the select teachers and students from each school. Each group of students choose a project and teachers put a plan in place for project commencement in Term 1 with completion and presentation by end of Term 3. Students develop their solution based project/initiative that will be realised in their community and make a 3-5 minute film of their project which will be shown at completion/presentation of their project. Michelle attended presentations in each state and hosted a screening of ‘The Power of Activism’ in each community. Michelle mentors each of the teacher/school groups through their projects and filmmaking. Projects the schools have launched thus far are : rewilding and building back wildlife corridors, planting fruit and vegetable gardens for food and to attract birds and bugs and create healthy local ecosystems, creating a local insect inventory educating on local environment conservation issues, running ‘ how to conserve energy ’ events with sustainable practices, establishing interactive recycling and upcycling systems that capture waste streams. These projects have been built into an educational resource for high schools via teacher networks and the film’s website. At a time when there is much in the world to feel overwhelmed and helpless about, this learning program inspires teachers and students to ‘Get Involved’ while cultivating hope and meaning.
Steve’s short drama INJA, which he wrote and directed whilst a student at AFTRS, was nominated for an Academy Award™ in 2003. Since graduating, he’s written, directed and produced a broad range of documentaries for National Geographic, Discovery and the ABC as well as a narrative feature for UNIVERSAL PICTURES. In 2018, Steve wrote and directed JOHN EALES REVELS: THE HAKA, a feature documentary for Discovery Channel, which won a Medal at the Olympic Committee’s Sports Press Association Awards (2019) for journalism. Later that year Steve wrote and directed CHRISTMAS SOUNDS BETTER THIS YEAR, a one-hour documentary for the ABC. He followed that film with CALIBRATE, a feature documentary which recently won the Audience Award at the Awareness Film Festival (USA). In 2022 Steve completed the feature documentary THE POWER OF ACTIVISM, which has screened at numerous festivals internationally before being broadcast on SBS. Steve has most recently produced THREE CHORDS AND THE TRUTH in 2023.
