Greenpeace has teamed up with Oscar-winning director Sir Steve McQueen and actor Will Poulter to create a short film and cover of Fleetwood Mac’s Don’t Stop.
The reimagined version of the song has been produced by Fraser T Smith and rapper Avelino, with new lyrics that act as a call to action and rallying cry for climate activism.
The film will be screened on the main stage at the Glastonbury Festival, which is being held from June 21-25.
Midsommar actor Poulter hopes the film “sparks action” and said it “feels like a much-needed element of the conversation that is being had around climate change”.
“A better tomorrow, to me, looks like a world where we’ve actively pulled together and there’s a greater sense of unionship between everybody who cares about climate change and wants to create a better future for emerging generations,” he said.
12 Years A Slave director Sir Steve, who was executive producer on the project and had his protege, Samona Olanipekun, in the role of director, said the film looks at how the world is “hurtling out of control”.
He said: “It captures the unease at seeing corporations (especially those of oil and gas) and their enablers do damage to the environment on our behalf, acting like there’s no tomorrow and driving the climate crisis solely for their profit, but we have collective power to realise a different future.
“It’s imperative that people don’t forget – tomorrow is promised to no-one.”
The short film is set in a vibrant but rowdy party which is quickly spinning out of control, a metaphor for corporations who “party like there’s no tomorrow”.
With instrumentation from jazz talent development organisation Tomorrow’s Warriors and vocals from the House Gospel Choir, the reimagined version of Don’t Stop looks to establish the reality of life as a young person today amid climate change.
Grammy-winning Smith, who produced the song, said: “I’m immensely proud to be working with Greenpeace to help bring the iconic Don’t Stop back into the public awareness with such a vital message.
“Working with Tomorrow’s Warriors and Avelino felt like the perfect collaboration for Future Utopia, in providing exactly the right energy for the track. I’m excited for everyone to hear this.”
Areeba Hamid, executive director of Greenpeace UK, said the film is a message of hope and a demand to create a better tomorrow.
“When you look at the state of the world that older generations have wrought – oil companies partying like there’s no tomorrow, politicians watching as our house is on fire – it can feel overwhelming, but awareness and resolve to save our planet, to save lives and livelihoods, has never been stronger,” she said.
“People all over the world are incredibly worried about their future, but they hold enormous power.”
Greenpeace campaigns globally for environmental issues, and has helped to ban plastic microbeads and make it illegal to dump toxic waste in the sea.
Branding for the Don’t Stop project by Greenpeace UK will be used on site at Glastonbury with tote bags carrying the message “Don’t Stop Thinking About Tomorrow”.
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