The Future of Protest

What is the future of protest when we are not only forced to keep our distance, but also subjected to increasingly intrusive and sophisticated surveillance systems online?

Since the outbreak of the Covid-19 virus at various places in the world, we have been given a taste of protest in a one-half meter society: thousands of people in one square or field, well away from each other, each neatly contained within a circle drawn on the ground. Protesting has always been linked to physical proximity: 'shoulder-to-shoulder'.

VPRO Documentary explores the future of protest with Micah White (leader of the Occupy movement), and John Jordan (anti-globalist). All have experience in how the big issues of our time, such as climate change, social inequality, racism and environmental issues, can be successfully addressed and influenced through activism.

Director Jan Beddegenoodts has been part of an international movement that connects 'rave' with protest for over a decade. Young people gather to dance and party. Worldwide, these parties are the breeding ground, overture and expression of social and political action. That was the case in Palestine, Berlin, Detroit, Sao Paulo, Belgrade and Tblisi. With his camera he was at most of these events to record how engagement was forged into a powerful and hopeful protest.

Directed by Jos de Putter and Jan Beddegenoodts.
Research: Jan Beddegenoodts and Olaf Oudheusden
Camera: Robert Monchen and Jan Beddegenoodts.
Production: Olivier Schuringa
Editing: Jan Beddegenoodts
Final editing: Doke Romeijn and Geert Rozinga