Featuring
Erik Gandini · 2003 · 54m
A film on over-consumption, the violence of MTV, Castro’s advertising-free Cuba, and the vast emptiness despite our wealth.
Wednesday, Dec. 17, 7:00pm
Cinema Politica x Vessel Contemporary – 17 Dec
Vessel x Cinema Politica presents ‘Surplus: Terrorized into Being Consumers’
Wednesday, 17th of December 7-9 pm.
About the Film
Surplus: Terrorised into Being Consumers
Why is the lifestyle of consumerism a source of such rage today? How come the privilege of buying goods does not automatically lead to happiness? Why all this emptiness despite our wealth?
Shot across the US, India, China, Italy, Sweden, Hungary, Canada and Cuba over three years, Surplus is an award-winning Swedish documentary by director Erik Gandini and editor Johan Söderberg. The film showcases George W Bush’s famous “shopping-speech” calling for a war against terrorism that deters the nation from the fear of consumption. Castro responds with hymns to the anti-consumerist, advertising-free island of Cuba. Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer preach that the computer will give us peace on earth “bringing people together” whilst Adbusters’ Kalle Lasn warns that advertising pollutes us mentally, that overconsumption is unsustainable and that we are running out of oil.
At the centre of Surplus is John Zerzan, a controversial philosopher whose call for property damage has inspired many to take to the streets. “That is not violence. Sitting there doing dope and watching MTV. Then you go and get a job. Just schlep along. To me that is violence,” says Zerzan. “We are terrorised into being consumers.”
The film looks at the arguments for capitalism and technology—greater efficiency, more time, less work—and argues these promises are not being fulfilled and never will be. Our economic model based on perpetual growth and excessive consumerism is bound to fail, creating bubble after bubble and crisis after crisis.
Using the language of music video, propaganda and commercial advertising, Surplus fights fire with fire. The Amsterdam International Documentary Film Festival jury praised its “originality, sense of humour, irony, forcefulness and visual virtuosity” when awarding it the Silver Wolf in 2003. The film offers a cinematic experience rare in documentary, showing the insanity we have created for ourselves and where the world is headed unless we stop to think about what we’re doing to ourselves as a society and as a planet.
2003 · 54m · Sweden
Spanish, Swedish
English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish,
Limited to 50 spaces so get your ticket now.
Donations encouraged by those who can to enable this free event to continue!
Times:
Doors open 7 pm
Movie will start at 7.15pm
Talk and conversation afterwards ~ approximately 8.15 pm.
Vessel is incredible thankful to our event sponsors; MadFish Wines, Otherside Brewing Company and Lightning Minds.
And proud to present Bendigo Community Bank – Fremantle, our new Supporting Partner of the Vessel Contemporary Cinema Politica Series’
In Collaboration With
