*** You can still contribute via the donation button on my website: hannahlclose.com ***

The Short

I'm making an environmentally focused documentary about islands, in particular, the Hebrides of Scotland. Islands are referred to as ‘canaries in the coalmine’ when it comes to forecasting the impacts of climate collapse. Despite being some of the first places on the planet to experience these harmful effects, islands display a striking level of resilience in the face of profound change. I intend to gain insight into what 'islandness' can teach us about resilience and togetherness in times of ecological and societal collapse, and what this can teach us about meaning in a meaning-starved culture. Your contributions will help amplify the timely message of this magnificent place and its inhabitants. 

The Long(er)

Small islands like those found in the Scottish Hebrides are often referred to as ‘thin places’, places where the veil between this world and the next is porous and where the landscape is full of mystery and meaning. In Island Dreams: Mapping an Obsession, Scottish adventurer Gavin Francis recounts: ‘that sense of awe or reverence, of seeking after the sublime, that so many others have sought and found in islands, has, without doubt, influenced my love of them’ (2020).

‘Islandness’, a term coined by island scholar Grant McCall (1996), gestures towards the unique experience that being on an island can bring. For mainlanders and visitors to islands, there is the possibility for solitude and enchantment, the kinds of which can often get lost in the morass of larger landmasses and cultures. For island locals, the story may be somewhat different.

Bound intimately by the elements, in particular the immense force of the ocean and its concomitant weather, islanders appear to be drawn into deeper relation with each other and the more-than-human in order to both survive and thrive among harsh conditions. On islands, interdependence is seen as a strength, not a weakness. The types of relationships islanders form tend towards being more resilient and adaptive as opposed to the extractive, commodity-based and ephemeral relationships that are more commonly formed among mainlanders who have become over-reliant on convenience and flimsy forms of connectivity.

As explicitly bounded places, islands also raise questions around what it means to be ‘local’ against a backdrop of globalisation. A profound level of participation and intimacy emerges when you are surrounded by the ocean and have only a handful of people/species to relate with. As such, islands provide a unique opportunity for belonging to those seeking home.

Together with island locals, lovers, artists and academics, I will explore questions related to these themes within the context of collapse. This documentary will be focused on the islands and islanders themselves. I will play a present but minimal role. 
 

‘Ecologically, we are all islanders now’. - Baldacchino & Clark (2013)

What I Need

I need to raise £10K minimum to fund this project. Funds will go towards filming gear, editing software, transport, accommodation, and research materials. Transport and accommodation costs will directly contribute to the island economies - for example, I will charter boats with local sailors and stay in independent, local-run accommodation where possible (and with friends/camp to keep costs down). Other funds will go towards creating events/offerings to be given back to island communities. Further to that, funds will be donated to local island or ocean charities.  

The Impact

This project is valuable to the world because it has an environmental and educational aim at its core: to learn about how to relate to self, other, and the more-than-human in healthier ways so that we can take better care of this beautiful planet we're lucky enough to call home. It will amplify voices from some of the places that stand to suffer the most from ecological (and other forms of) collapse, and as such, inspire further awareness, support and solidarity.

Other Ways You Can Help

If you can't contribute financially, you can support this project by sharing it with friends and family, and with your wider network. If you have a platform, a newsletter, podcast etc. - that's a great way to share the message. Every bit of support is deeply appreciated.