“A better future is possible and that is something worth fighting for”: An interview with director Franz Böhm on Dear Future Children

Dear Future Children is the new documentary from 22-year-old German filmmaker Franz Böhm which delves into the lives and causes of a new generation of activists. It takes three young women as its subjects: Rayen, who is protesting for social justice in Chile, Pepper, who is fighting for democracy in Hong Kong, and Hilda, who is attempting to curb the impact of climate change in Uganda.

The documentary not only seeks to investigate the issues at stake in each of the countries it visits but what impact choosing activism as a lifestyle choice has had on the lives of the young protestors. It also attempts to give a platform to those individuals and movements that don’t often make the headlines. There’s no denying Greta Thunberg, for example, has done much to demonstrate just what impact young activists can achieve. But what Dear Future Children shows is there are many, many others also fighting to make a difference beneath our radar. It also draws attention to the phenomenon of youth activism on the rise, with Gen Z seemingly far more ready to sign petitions, hit the streets in protest or garner support for the issues they care about online.

The question of course remains whether such action can really be a catalyst for change at a political level where it really matters, particular on global issues such as climate action, democratic rights and the end of gender and race-based oppression. But it would be hard to walk away from watching the film without feeling apathy and complacency are the enemy of progression and conversation and engagement at the very least are something we should all be striving for. 

We had the pleasure of chatting with Böhm (now the youngest-ever winner of the Hot Docs Audience Award) about why he was motivated to make the film, what he hopes its impact will be and his views on the efficacy of activism in our current era.

Sarah Bradbury

Dear Future Children is released in select UK cinemas on 19^th November 2021 and 80 Odeon Cinemas on 23^rd November for one night only. For more information, please visit the Dear Future Children website here. Read our five-star review here.

Watch the trailer for Dear Future Children here: