Damon Gameau (That Sugar Film; 2040) takes eight kids on the ultimate school excursion: a road trip across Europe to seek solutions to the climate crisis.

Inviting eight schoolchildren from around the globe to take a ride on his vegetable-oil-powered, bright-yellow school bus, Gameau sets out to make a movie that plays as “School of Rock meets An Inconvenient Truth”. Travelling across Europe, this colourful touring party confront multinational uber-polluters, talk to politicians, discover cutting-edge work at eco-minded organisations and marvel at the natural splendour of some of the continent’s most beautiful forests and lakes – a coming-of-age journey that dares to imagine a brighter future.

Continuing the socially driven work of his previous films, Gameau delivers a rousing tribute to youthful spirit. Future Council gathers a host of inspiring young minds – including singer/songwriter Ruby Rodgers, the granddaughter of rock legend Jimmy Barnes – who are frustrated by societal inaction, and shepherds them into the offices and meeting rooms of those in positions of power. It amounts to an optimistic portrait of what could be possible if adults actually listen to the kids set to inherit the (increasingly unhabitable) Earth.

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Director Damon Gameau and the film’s young subjects are guests of the festival. All will be in attendance at the Sunday 11, Tuesday 13 and Wednesday 14 sessions, while Gameau will be present at the Thursday 15 August session.