ARTISTIC CONCEPT

March 2023

SYNOPSIS

Winds of Change
Logline: A community project on the Shetland Islands that uses film as a bridge to ease the tension caused by the wind farm.

A group of Shetlanders comes together in the same room every Saturday to reflect on their position within the energy transition. They all live on the Islands that became rich by the oil and are now building a huge wind farm. But this change created polarization in the community and it’s a very sensitive topic. In this film, different perspectives come together to write a fictional story that combines their experiences. They are writing a fictional story about Sarah, a 40-year-old mother who moves to the Shetland Islands to give her daughter a better environment to grow up in. However, her image of renewable energy is challenged when she sees how a wind farm is being built and the damage it causes to the land.

As Sarah grapples with the conflict between nature conservation and the climate, her hopeful outlook for her daughter’s future on the Shetland Islands becomes clouded with nightmares of a dystopian future. With soundscapes from artist Renzo Spiteri, the fictional scenes translate the mixed emotions of the participants.

This fictional story is interspersed with conversations and interviews with the group of Shetlanders. It becomes clear how the filmmaking process brings the group together. They all have different perspectives, which creates interesting dialogue, and a deeper understanding of the social impact of the energy transition on the Islands. The community is cooperative in a way that has been lacking because of the sensitivity of the subject. The Shetland Islands have been a centre of controversy over the construction of the wind farm. The project, which began construction in 2021, has faced opposition from locals who argue that the turbines will harm the natural landscape and wildlife. The project seeks to address this tension by using the filmmaking process as a way for Shetlanders to connect. The film is made by a diverse group, including an activist, high school student, grandpa, visual artist and inventor.

In conclusion, the ‘Winds of Change’ project is a community effort to use the filmmaking process as a bridge to ease the tension caused by the wind farm on the Shetland Islands.