Purpose is a new film from Omnipolis Media. Directed by Martin Oetting, it follows the economists, Katherine Trebeck (above) and Lorenzo Fioramonti, as they develop ground-breaking political projects to shift our economies — away from endless GDP growth, towards what really matters for people and planet. In doing so, Purpose asks the central question of our time: What is the purpose of our economies, and how can we change it? Roger Higman reports.
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What if I told you there was a common factor behind the climate crisis, biodiversity loss, growing inequalities, falling living standards and even the rise of populist political parties? Well, there is. It’s the way we run our economies. For far too long, the political consensus has taught that improvements in people’s lives can only come about from economic growth. Yet although growth has lifted billions of people out of poverty, it now seems to be enriching too few, impoverished many and devastating the environment on which we all depend.
In 2016, Martin Oetting left a career in advertising to develop narrative and communication projects that address the most pressing crises and issues of our time. In 2017, when he learnt about the pioneering work of Katherine Trebeck and Lorenzo Fioramenti, “he realised that he had to both document their work and understand what it means for the world”. The result, after seven long years, is “Purpose”. You can watch the trailer below:
Purpose follows Katherine as she initiates the ‘Wellbeing Economy Governments’, a group of countries that aim to reshape their politics and refocus their economies — on the wellbeing of people and planet. While she works tirelessly to make it happen, the project flounders, gets revived and evolves. Eventually, it unites five countries: Scotland, New Zealand, Iceland, Wales, and Finland. It may turn into a starting point for a new economic vision for the world.
Lorenzo helps start the alliance. Then, suddenly, he is invited to run for office in his home country, Italy. He wins a parliamentary seat in the general election and hopes to create a wellbeing economy as a Minister for Economic Development. But then he gets sidelined. When a new coalition forms, he unexpectedly becomes Minister for Education and manages to implement some of his bold ideas.
Now, Martin is trying to get the film shown as widely as possible. It is being screened at festivals all over Europe, including at the Festival of Debate in Sheffield, and in Australia, Japan and the United States.
Omnipolis Media are keen to support you if you want to organise a screening – whether at a cinema, a university, a town hall, or even in your living room! All you have to do is to answer four questions about which country you live in, what type of venue you plan to use, whether you want to host a discussion afterward and on whose behalf you’re acting. In return, they ask that you make a donation, based on what you feel you can afford.
As Sandrine Dixson-Decleve, the Co-President of the Club of Rome, says: “We desperately need more and better stories about how to change our world. ‘Purpose’ provides precisely such a story — showing us what economic systems change looks like in action.”
Let’s show Purpose far and wide!