Multi award-winning Australian actor-turned-documentary filmmaker Damon Gameau (That Sugar Film, 2040) has just released Future Council, in which he and eight boisterous children road trip around Europe in a vegetable oil-powered yellow school bus, determined to change the world the best way they know how. The director and passionate climate advocate shares his insights and some of the more surprising aspects of the film.

Damon, Future Council opens nationally this week, what is the film about?
So, the premise is I take eight children aged 10-14 and all passionate environmental advocates from different countries on a road trip to better understand how we can reconnect to nature, while challenging and collaborating with leaders of some of the world’s biggest companies.

Why did you want to make Future Council, a story that is very much told and led by its eight young protagonists?
I think we often underestimate how much information children are being exposed to – more than any other generation in history – so they really do know their stuff on issues they care about, and one of those issues is sustainability yet their voices have largely been missing from the conversation. If they have been involved it’s been in the sort of Greta Thunberg approach, but I don’t think we’ve heard from children who are a little softer, very authentic, and just want to know why adults aren’t taking stronger action to improve their future.

The film tackles a sobering topic – climate change – yet is told with humour and empathy. Why is that important?
I think humour and empathy are really important when talking about these big existential issues, and often they’re neglected. That’s what the children really taught me in this film – to make sure that I still find moments for joy and wonder even when times are tough, because that’s actually what’s going to sustain you and keep you going.

“I think the way to move people and engage them is through humour and empathy,” says Damon, of tackling the topic of climate change.

What surprised you the most during the filmmaking process?
I think how refreshing the children’s creativity was; and the morality they bring to this conversation. So many of our large companies are so focused on short-term thinking [that] they don’t consider the impact on nature or humans and can act quite psychopathically at times, but the children brought a much-needed morality and humanity to those board rooms.

Last September, you were invited to screen the film at the UN General Assembly in New York, along with the film’s young stars who also met with world leaders. What was the reaction?
It was very special for the children to get that opportunity, but they left with mixed feelings – grateful to see how global power operates, but also a little disillusioned at the lack of heart in that space. Many of the people they met were quite cold, quite shut off. If anything, they left even more determined to set up something new, to establish a network and platform where people could come together to make decisions from a heart-led place and with nature front of mind.

It seems they’ve already established that network in the form of a real-life Future Council. What is the background?
Halfway through filming, the children decided they wanted to invite other children around the world like them to get involved and not just keep this experience to the film. So we created a real-life Future Council: a not-for-profit with a board, a COO and a youth committee that has a say in all the Future Council’s major decisions. The idea is to continue what we did in the film and partner with organisations globally so the children can play a consultancy role, have input on sustainable initiatives and co-design regenerative products. It’s giving them a voice and a say in shaping and designing their own future. Any revenue generated will go to a nature repair fund that’s allocated to different regeneration projects around the world by Future Council members.

On what Damon learnt from his child co-stars: “The ability to see the best in each other and to be authentic and real in the face of huge adversity are the exact traits that many adults need if we’re going to turn our situation around.”

Officeworks has partnered with the young members of the new Future Council entity who are designing sustainable stationery and school equipment. How does that work?
The children will work with Officeworks to design the most sustainable diaries and other products. They’ll learn design, see how supply chains work, how a product gets to market and then they’ll be able to use it within their own schools. A percentage of revenue from the sale of these products goes to the nature repair fund.

Can other Australian businesses get involved?
We’re inviting any Australian business that wants to work with the Future Council to get involved by heading to our website and signing up. They can access the refreshing creativity of these children in a consultancy capacity, collaborate on initiatives, or co-design regenerative products like with Officeworks. It’s a win for the company, it alleviates the children’s anxiety and gives them pathways forward, while raising money to repair nature.

Since 2023, Alberts, through its philanthropic arm The Tony Foundation, has partnered with Regen Studios to support your ongoing efforts to directly address climate change through creativity and storytelling. Why are you such a strong believer that filmmaking is an effective vehicle for change?
I have seen and experienced how storytelling is our most potent tool for change. That stories shape culture, culture shapes leaders, leaders shape policies, and policies shape the system. But it starts with stories. We are a species that has evolved to tell stories and yet we have gotten a little stuck with graphs, data and endless debates. This is a time for artists of all kinds to rise up, get us back in our hearts, and show us the way forward.

Future Council is screening in cinemas nationally from August 7

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Published On: August 7th, 2025|By |Categories: Featured|Tags: , , , |

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