Climate Criminals? / Sophie Austin

Sophie Austin
London, England, United Kingdom
 
Climate Criminals?, 2025
Film, 14:55 minutes
 
Sophie’s film Climate Criminals? is a 15-minute documentary that centers UK-based frontline climate activists as they reclaim their narratives in their own words. Challenging dominant media portrayals that frame these individuals as threats, the film creates space for reflection on motivation, risk, and the personal costs of direct action. Filmed during a storytelling residency at Sheepdrove Organic Farm, the work invites audiences to consider why ordinary people take extraordinary steps in response to the climate crisis, positioning activism as both a deeply personal and collective act.
 
Sophie Austin is a filmmaker and activist whose work focuses on female-driven narratives and stories that examine inequality and social responsibility. Trained as a theatre director at Rose Bruford College, she is the founder of Teatro Vivo, a critically acclaimed site-specific and immersive theatre company. Her recent film AWAKE! (2023) explores ritual, grief, and community in the face of environmental uncertainty. Across her practice, Austin creates work that connects audiences to the natural world through storytelling grounded in care, urgency, and possibility.