Human, planet, weaker, other

Following on from the scrollable data story “104 Days Later”, which brought the numbers about Covid-19 into life through first person testimonies, the research film “Human, planet, weaker, other” tells a story of hope. In August 2020, after the first lockdown, the ART/DATA/HEALTH research project approached people who were under-represented to hear their experiences of living through a pandemic. In collaboration with the Hydrocracker Theatre Company crew and the Wellsbourne Healthcare CIC in East Brighton, we collected 15 audiovisual testimonies from people living in Brighton & Hove, who identified as shielding, BAME, LGBT, and/or older. “Human, planet, weaker, other” combines these participant stories with public health data and statistics about the impact of the pandemic on education, unemployment, mental health and other key social issues.Through this creative blend, the film highlights how the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic awakened a sense of solidarity and community spirit, how it allowed people to rethink about sustained social change and the environment, and how it became an opportunity to act with kindness. Duration: 5’23”. Directed by: Aristea Fotopoulou, Animation/data viz: Caroline Beavon, Montage: Liz Smith, Filming: Hydrocracker Theatre Company.