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Netherlands | Australia 2024  
Opening June 4, 2026

Directed by: Damon Gameau
Writing credits: Damon Gameau, Jimmi James Wright
Principal actors: Documentary: Ruby Rodgers, Skye Neville, Hiva Tuki Grube, Joseph Wijaya, Karla Alberg, Clemence “CC” Currie, Joaquin Minana, Aurvi Jain

Future Council is determined and its associates help in determining its growth: Nestlé, ING Bank, Force of Nature, Lawyers for Nature, and Faith in Nature to date. This anomaly is a harbinger of possibilities for the environment’s future that Australian writer, director and narrator Damon Gameau introduces to audiences. Damon refers to the group as eight “children,” although “exceptional young adults” seems more appropriate. 

Damon was surprised and impressed by kids’ awareness and knowledge about global environmental sustainability while screening 2040 (2019), his previous documentary in classrooms worldwide. Their understanding outpaced that of adults; their concern for the world’s health is greater since it is their inheritance. That kernel planted the seed for this documentary. From thousands of youngsters volunteering, eight were chosen. Each individual brought an area of concern and solution/expertise, so their knowledge grew exponentially from being together. 

Ruby Rodgers (Australia) brought songwriting, Skye Neville (Wales) opposes plastic rubbish on magazine/comics, Hiva Tuki Grube’s (Norfolk Island) passion is birds, Joseph Wijaya (Bali) has recycling clients, Karla Alberg (Uganda/Denmark) wants to harness fast-fashion, Clemence “CC” Currie (Scotland) brought vocal environmental action, and Aurvi Jain (Singapore) brought pan-Island beach clean-ups, while Joaquin Minana (Netherlands) is the group’s straight shooter. Unbelievably, the oldest are only twelve! 

The group’s creativity, passions, and ideas plus (possible) solutions are fresh; meeting with multinational corporate head Rob Cameron of Nestlé, and ING’s Steven van Rijswijk, CEO, the kids ask tough questions that hold their companies accountable. Faith in Nature’s Simeon Rose, creative director, Brontie Ansell, legal architect and attorney for Lawyers for Nature, and Clover Hogan, climate activist and founder of Force of Nature brainstorm with the kids.

It is impossible not to feel a sense of wonderment at what these children have done and are doing. They came up with the concept of a Future Council that Damon had the tools and wherewithal to nurture and problem-solve traveling across Europe in a yellow school bus. Production values are sterling. Damon benefited from the children’s magic, realizing that “finding joy and play amongst the darkness is the very thing that will sustain us and keep us moving forward.” When you see Future Council, you will come on board, too. 81 minutes (Marinell H.)