Environmental poetry & dance film for the Earth

Aim: Support the production of a short film which celebrates our Earth, and raises awareness about climate change and environmental destruction.

Hi, we are Beatside -

A collective of creatives making art which raises awareness about environmental and social issues, and aims to unite people through storytelling.

Beatside is co-run by us - Ilze and Charlie.

“I am a climate communicator and conscious storyteller. I work in communications directly with climate scientists, and in my free time I immerse myself in learning all about using storytelling to communicate the climate crisis effectively.” - Ilze Millere

“I am a writer and a BA English & History student, with a great passion for widening participation in education and the arts for everyone.” - Charlie Kiely

Our motto is: Dream, Empower, Create. We LOVE art, in all its shapes and forms. We have a growing network of creatives from all around the world, and, alongside making films, we host events and workshops, offer learning opportunities for first-time creatives, and are developing a wide range of other creative projects.

One of our recent films, Quest - a whimsical tale about grief told from the perspective of a child - was recently screened at the legendary Hyde Park Picture House cinema in Leeds. Meanwhile, our most recent film, Cloudburst, was an arts-based-research project about the impacts of the climate crisis on our emotional and mental wellbeing. 

Introducing: ‘Flotsam’

‘Flotsam’ is an environmental poetry dance film. Based on a poem we heard performed at an Eco Festival in Eastbourne which was narrated by an Australian artist, featuring music from a German composer, and with creatives from London, Manchester and Yorkshire in its core crew, it is a short yet mighty ambitious production.

The story of ‘Flotsam’ is simple - it personifies the grief, the rage and the despair of our Mother Earth. We will portray her defeat under the hands of those cold, careless people - breathless and burnt, choking on oil and wrapped up in plastic nets, she will lie on the beautiful dunes. We will portray her fighting spirit as she unravels herself and dances on the spacious sandy beach and plays with the waves. And we will portray her glorious power and beauty as she stands on the cliffs, dressed in silks, with seashells and flowers on her skin and in her hair. 

Environmental stories are an essential form of resistance 

To put it simply, let’s quote the beloved Sir David Attenborough:

“Saving our planet is now a communications challenge. We know what to do, we just need the will.”

And we know a lot about the important part that communications, storytelling and art plays in the climate crisis. We, people, are storytellers. And we simply need more stories to reconnect with this one and only planet of ours, to ignite the spark for action, and to hold on to hope. 

You see - there are many people in this world who have not treated our Earth kindly

(Though we suspect you are not one of them, if you are reading about this project!). 

There are many who have forgotten the ties that bind us together with the trees, the soil, the animals. There are many who have fallen out of sync with Earth’s natural cycles, who have forgotten her wisdom, who have lost their respect towards her. 

And so, the planet continues to heat up, and chaos ensues in the weather patterns we have known, and disasters, diseases and destruction plagues across nations. Eco-anxiety disturbs people’s minds, and the uncertainty of the future of our planet taints people’s hopes, dreams, and aspirations. Scientists, activists and people across every generation, background and industry are calling out for change, and yet the change isn’t happening as quickly as it should - in fact, more often than not it feels like we’re forced to take a step backwards.

Our message is quite simple - the Earth will adapt, fight back, and survive. The question is, whether or not we will survive with her.

Sounds interesting?

We’d love to have you onboard! Your support - no matter how small - would be hugely appreciated. It would be so encouraging and inspiring to know that we have YOU standing behind us and believing in our mission. We'd also really appreciate it if you could share our crowdfunder with your networks! 

What do we need the money for? The primary costs will be the production - transport, accommodation, catering, filming permissions. Some of it will be the production design to support our talented costume designer, and hair & make-up artist with their supplies to craft creative looks. Finally, we want the film to be seen, to reach wide audiences, and to spread its message in the world - and so the rest of the funding will go towards film festival submissions.

So, if you are a fellow nature spirit, eco-warrior, or simply someone who wants to see a greener and kinder tomorrow - join us, and bring your friends along! And please don’t hesitate to send us a message - we are always happy to make connections, and we love a good conversation.

Thank you so much,

Ilze & Charlie

Funding method

Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made by 25th July 2025 at 6:31pm