The openness, honesty and playfulness of the eight children on the yellow school bus in the ‘Future Council’ film moved me through delight, tears and laughter into a deeper yearning to be a better grandparent & carer for all our children.
Future Council is a beautifully filmed bus trip on bio-fuels across Europe with bus driver / director Damon Gameau [2040, That Sugar Film].
Straight talking children courageously challenge CEOs of our world’s most polluting companies. Other business leaders share inspiring solutions, like making ‘nature’ a director on their company board. And the deeper inner emotional impact on the children is sensitively explored as well. Powerful images express complex topics for easier understanding. And the stunning scenery enhances the vibrancy of young people. This film reinforces my yearning to enjoy and protect us all on this fragile yet beautiful planet.
As parents & carers, we have similar roles to the films bus driver (Director, Damon Gameau). We spend hours driving, waiting and supporting our children to learn the knowledge & skills they need to act & survive into their future. We listen, plan, encourage, spend money and create opportunities for our children to live their best life with us all. Like many parents, Future Council is encouraging all children to ‘find their own voice’ not just for themselves but for our planet. Future Council’s simple genius is to encourage all of us to create opportunities to hear and respond to our children in our families, schools and institutions as well as businesses.
Future Council has also grown from the big screen to a real-life organisation!
Future Council is a child-led movement that inspires and empowers young people to take positive action for our future. Perhaps our 9-16 year olds would love to be one of them. Like the film, their mission is to better understand the planet’s predicament, explore solutions and, most importantly, take the conversation from the streets, into the boardrooms of some of the world’s largest polluters and most influential companies.
I highly recommend watching Future Council with your children, especially from upper primary school age.
I also recommend viewing (and reviewing) this film with other parents or friends who also yearn for a better future for our children. Like parenting, caring for the planet & our children is easier when done with others over a cuppa or local action. Let’s create connections, even if just keeping updated with the many inspiring existing initiatives that are occurring around our local community and planet.
Viewing Future Council film is a great opportunity to encourage each other to create spaces for our children to better understand and take action to create a better future for us all.
‘Future Council’ is currently being screened in cinemas across Australia. You can also book a community screening at your school, with your networks and in homes from 01 October 2025.
Watch the trailer and find a screening near you here
Guest reviewer: Chris Hawke
Chris Hawke enjoys dedicating time with his six grandchildren in Queensland and is inspired by the efforts of their local Fraser Coast Parents for Climate group on Butchulla Country. Chris has supported stronger local and global community connection for change over many years across Eastern and Central Australia through school, church, media, cross-cultural, mental health, men, "framily" & community settings.