The Deadline

This documentary is being made by the team behind the award-winning documentary I Am Gen Z in collaboration with filmmakers across the world.

This is the story of the battle between the populists and the progressives. But while we are busy fighting each other the clock is ticking.

The battle lines have been drawn between the populist authoritarians and the progressives. Illiberal ideologies are gaining traction globally with serious implications for human rights and civil liberties. As the climate crisis evolves, how will it shape that battle?
Are we on a path towards a very different future where society, and the systems that govern it, will fundamentally change?

Told through a global cast of characters each fighting for their beliefs, these personal battles are framed by an intense game of power politics that is pitting us against each other. One side considers themselves freedom fighters under siege by progressive liberals who must defend against a creeping socialism. The other side feels attacked by a right wing conservatism and is battling to protect democracy, human rights and the mechanisms through which to speak truth to power. Both sides attest that they are fighting for their freedom, but freedom for whom and from what? This clash of ideologies is not only impeding our ability to respond to the climate crisis as a collective challenge, but as the climate crisis worsens, it itself could fuel this division further with grave consequences.

A short taster clip of The Deadline

In October 2022 the filmmakers were able to spend time with the activists of the Polish/Belarus border who, every day, go out into the forest to give humanitarian aid to the migrants hiding there. Much of the footage you see in the clip above is taken from that time and we are grateful to the groups for welcoming us and for their trust. Their dedication is extraodinary and they are tireless in their work. To find out more about them, follow the Fundacja Bezkres and Grupa Granica pages.

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Liz Smith

Director & Editor

Liz is a documentary director and editor. She studied at The London Film School in 2002/3 and began her career as a cinematographer. She moved into directing after producing other non-scripted films including the feature “Rebel of the Keys” to edit and direct the feature documentary “I Am Gen Z”.
She is interested in what makes human beings tick, and how psychology, philosophy and politics drive contemporary behaviour. In that vein, complementing her film work, she is also the co-founder and host of “What’s Going On In Your Head”, an ongoing series of live events that explore the secret inner workings of the mind through performance art reaching audiences that would not normally be engaged in dialogue around mental illness.

Chantelle de Carvalho

Producer

Chantelle is a screenwriter and creative producer who began her career in the entertainment industry in the theatre, writing, directing and acting in contemporary and classic works. She moved into film and television, working on features, documentaries and commercials for television corporations and independent film production companies. She formed Coco&Claude Films Ltd to develop and produce a slate of feature film projects and her narrative works include award-winning short films screened at international film festivals and feature films including “The Hatching”, a comedy/beast horror, “The Secret Philosophy”, an art house drama, “Credo”, a supernatural thriller aka “The Devil’s Curse US (Lionsgate US), “Copposites” a body-swap comedy and most recently “I Am Gen Z” a feature documentary directed by Liz Smith which is to be followed by “The Deadline” also directed by Liz Smith.

Dr Leslie Carr

Executive Producer

Dr. Leslie Carr is a licensed clinical psychologist who has been in private practice for over a decade. Her passion is in educating people about mental health, mental illness, and how the mind works so that we can all better understand the human condition. Her work in public psychoeducation has been featured in The LA Times, on Ask Dr. Drew, and at Google among other places. Dr. Carr is on the board of One Green Thing, a nonprofit that’s working to address the climate crisis as a psychological crisis, and she’s the host of a podcast which explores the nature vs nurture debate by episodically explaining how people respond to their environment in complicated ways. It’s called The Nature of Nurture.

Brian Selman

Executive Producer

Brian has had a long and successful business career, largely within technical industries. He has operated at CEO level and as a non-executive director of a number of enterprises, as well being involved in several start-ups. Qualified to masters degree level, he also has the Institute of Directors diploma and is a qualified executive coach. He has lived and worked in four countries and travelled extensively. From this wide exposure he has developed an international viewpoint and has a strong interest in the development of societies and organisations.

Kim Halliday

Composer

Kim is an award winning media composer & multi-instrumental musician working in London. In a 30 year career in music for media, encompassing film, TV, theatre, mixed and augmented reality, he has delivered scores for horrors, thrillers, science fiction, comedies and documentaries. His albums have been described as “Sonic Youth meets Bernard Herrmann” and “Face-Bashing All-Out Guitar Assault”, and his Unpleasantville brand has just received funding from Bristol + Bath Creative R+D to support a music based mixed reality release during Summer 2022. Kim’s latest works, the documentary I Am Gen Z and the semi-autobiographical audio release Desiderium, again demonstrate his endeavour to create music that comforts and disturbs in equal measure. “The way the music in this film blends with the story is a true work of art produced by Kim Halliday.” I Am Gen Z review.

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