"A how-to for our communities, for ourselves, for you and me to re-envision and recreate our homes and communities." Sean Prentiss, Assoc. Prof. English, Norwich University

Opening with a powerful 'deep time' perspective, from the beginning of the Earth to our present moment, this film recognizes the fundamental unsustainability of today's society and dares to ask the big question: What will follow?

Around the world, fresh shoots are already emerging as people develop the skills, will and resources necessary to recapture the initiative and re-imagine civilization, often in the ruins of collapsed mainstream economies.

We encounter extraordinary projects and people from four continents, from renegade economist Kate Raworth, conservative philosopher Roger Scruton and Gaian ecologist Stephan Harding to localization revolutionary Helena Norberg-Hodge, inspirational practivist Rob Hopkins, eco-pioneer Jonathon Porritt and philanthropist/composer Peter Buffett. They are cultivating a resilience not reliant on the impossible promise of eternal economic growth; developing diverse, convivial, satisfying contexts for lives well lived.

All were inspired by the posthumously published lifework of the late David Fleming, "Lean Logic: A Dictionary for the Future and How to Survive It", a work of rare depth that is rekindling optimism in the creativity and intelligence of humans to nurse our communities and ecology back to health.



Grade Level: 7-12, College, Adults
US Release Date: 2018     Copyright Date: 2018
DVD ISBN: 1-948745-13-5

Reviews "The Sequel explores the work of environmental economist David Fleming and the vibrant Transition Movement his ideas inspired. This film is a valuable supplement for college courses and local groups reading Fleming's work. Reminding us that our post-industrial socioeconomic systems are finite and that other ways of living are not only possible but inevitable, The Sequel is a sure catalyst to discussion and action." Dr. Anna J. Willow, Associate Professor of Anthropology, Ohio State University "The Sequel is part biography on David Fleming, part alarm about the coming crisis of the market economy, but most importantly a how-to for our communities, for ourselves, for you and me to re-envision and recreate our homes and communities. Rather than merely examining the fissures in our global wellbeing, this movie teaches us a way forward, a way to repair together, a communal way home." Sean Prentiss, Associate Professor of English, Norwich University, Author, Finding Abbey: The Search for Edward Abbey and His Hidden Desert Grave "A loving reflection on the life and philosophy of David Fleming...A helpful reminder that alternatives exist all around us. Fleming knew that healthy human societies and healthy relationships to the non-human world required intentional community building acts. Grow a garden, get involved in local politics, share tools with your neighbor, fix what's broken and buy less stuff. This is an inspirational film for audiences of all ages." Dr. Kent 'Kip' Curtis, Associate Professor of Environmental History, Ohio State University "The late English historian and ecological theorist David Fleming argues that global capitalism's need for constant consumption and growth is destroying the world - it consumes too many resources, spews out too many wastes, and pushes too many people into poverty and despair. Fleming thinks climate change will trigger what he calls 'climacteric collapse' of large-scale societies. This unfolding collapse offers the possibility of a counter-cultural renaissance if we transition to more locally-oriented and nature-focused ways of life." James William Gibson, Professor of Sociology, California State University - Long Beach, Author, A Reenchanted World: The Quest for a New Kinship With Nature "Highly suggested - Spread the word of David Fleming and use The Sequel in your class room! If you want to join people like Arne Næss, Herman Daly and Brian Czech, watch this movie and implement its lessons to 'Fall in love with the Earth.'" Falk Huettmann, Associate Professor of Wildlife Ecology, University of Alaska Fairbanks "I highly recommend The Sequel...Through two decades of work on climate issues, I've come to appreciate that our challenges are less political and technological than we imagine them to be. Rather, our core challenges are relational and social - of how we can come to understand ourselves as connected to community across scales from local to global. The Sequel is an inspirational and particularly useful touchstone for those thinking about and seeking to secure a just, sustainable and resilient future for all." Steve Adams, Director of Urban Resilience, Institute for Sustainable Communities "To combat what Fleming saw as the inevitable collapse of the current growth-dependent economy, the documentary explains his strategy of transformation through the localization of food production and emergence of self-reliant cooperative communities...[A] cautionary but optimistic assessment of the future." Lawrence Maxted, Library Journal "If you are even peripherally aware of the multitude of environmental crises we face, it is difficult to avoid despair. The Sequel is an essential introduction to David Fleming's work that can help us all imagine, as he did, the beauty and potential of the 'seed beneath the snow.' Without ignoring the seriousness of the crises, Fleming's work demonstrates that through imagination, art, culture, ritual, and joy, there is a way forward. And that way forward won't be a sacrifice, but rather a reestablishment of the very communities, rituals, and practices we have lost in modernity, that before this moment have always given human life its meaning." Dr. David Thomas Sumner, Professor of English and Environmental Studies, English Department Chair, Linfield College "An excellent documentary tribute with wings that takes us to local food movements, repair cafés, and community celebrations to liven up The Sequel to the biophysical impossibility of endless growth. This film will awaken the intellect to harmonize with earth's systems...We find a treasure trove of ecological and humanitarian analysis and practices that call upon our higher selves to work for the good of all life." Jim Merkel, Author, Radical Simplicity: Small Footprints on a Finite Earth, Director, Global Living Project, Film Director, Saving Walden's World "Watching The Sequel I could not stop thinking about the preoccupations and fears expressed by young people across the world regarding the effects climate change might have on their future. They demand action...A timely film...In our present moment, we need to start imagining alternative futures. The Sequel certainly contributes to it." Maria Antonieta Guzman-Gallegos, Public Anthropologist Journal