Determined to provoke real action, New Zealand teenagers nationwide join the global School Strike for Climate.
But planning a movement and building momentum are the easy parts as they face political indifference, their own privilege, and the ongoing struggle to be heard…as the tides continue to rise.
In the race for existence, striking teenagers discover that activism, authority and awareness make for a steep learning curve.
You can watch the film free on Whakaata Māori TV online here, available until September 2025.
Click on the link above to visit the website for the film, which includes advice from the student leaders about how to take action and be an activist. Teaching resources produced in collaboration with the Aotearoa Social Studies Educators' Association are also available on the website now, in the Resources section here.
Background to the Film
In 2019, students in more than 150 countries launched strikes to demand action to avert cataclysmic climate change.
In Aotearoa New Zealand, filmmakers The Rebel Film Collective started shooting seven months before what became the world’s biggest ever climate change strike. We were given intimate access to New Zealand students’ meetings, homes and personal video diaries to record how the local movement began.
We were there when an unexpected turn of events changed the face of the protests. High Tide Don’t Hide reveals the inner processes of teenagers mobilising record-setting numbers of children and adults…while dealing with the looming threat of climate change, interpersonal politics, and the need to just be teenagers.
