Think that one person can’t make a big difference? Then I have a really inspiring documentary recommendation for you: I am Greta. I am Greta is a documentary that tells the story of Greta Thunberg. And I think Greta Thunberg is someone almost all people on this planet know. Or at least I hope so. Her story is extremely inspiring and exciting. It’s a story of dedication, empowerment and most of all: persistence.
I am Greta
The documentary I am Greta is simply one that films Greta Thunberg’s life. Thunberg is a climate crisis activist. The documentary describes her history, but most of the documentary I am Greta films her life in the present. The film starts with a part about her sailing to New York City, because she wants to attend the Climate Action Summit in 2019. Then the documentary goes back to where it all begun: Thunberg striking all alone at her local municipality. A film she saw in school made her interested in the climate crisis and from that point on it’s all she can think about. The climate crisis is very urgent, so she treats it that way. She starts striking every single Friday, alone.
From that point on you see her becoming more popular and getting more attention. The group of people supporting her and striking with her is also growing. Thunberg is the narrator of the documentary too, you hear her speaking on the background, so it’s not somebody else telling her story. The story continues and she starts speaking at big conferences. COP24 for example, where she travels by electric car with her dad. Her speeches are so intense, I can feel her emotions through the screen.
Dark Side
Unfortunately, there is also a dark side to her popularity. The criticism and hate. Important people saying something hateful about Thunberg, even Putin is involved at one point. And ultimately, Thunberg and her family receive death threats too. Her dad is scared, and at one point in the documentary you even see him taking some sort of first-aid classes, so that he knows what to do in a life-threatening situation. It’s maddening. But Thunberg is not scared. She’s more worried about what happens if she stops fighting climate change. Her persistence is astonishing.
Practice what you preach
Something which really stuck with me from this documentary is that Thunberg does not avoid any responsibility. She tackles her own behavior ánd asks for political action. Those two together make her story so strong for me personally, as she really practices what she preaches. She does not fly, instead she sails to conferences, or goes by bus, train or electric car. But that sailing part really stuck with me. It has inspired me. One day I probably want to travel to another continent and now I know: I will go sailing.
One person
The argument ‘one person cannot make a big difference’ is one I have heard hundreds of times already. I even wrote a post about it. It’s cynicism and I think that’s easy, but wrong. There are a so many stories about one person making a huge difference out there. I am Greta is a documentary that shows just one of them. In her own way, Thunberg dreamt big and started small. And it worked! So saying that one person cannot make a big difference is just bullshit. And I hope that you know what after seeing this documentary. Dream big.
Intimidating
But at the same time I understand that a documentary like I am Greta can be intimidating as well. It can make you feel that only very famous people can make a difference. That you have to be powerful, rich or popular to be like Greta Thunberg. I hope that you can let these feelings go, because they’re not true.
Yes, I am Greta is a great example and it could inspire you to dream big. If yes, that’s great! But my points is that as long as you really believe in something and live by those values, you make a difference. If you eat plant-based for example, or go to a protest once in a while, if you foster dogs or if you donate blood. One person can make a difference.
Yours sincerely,
Romee