Film + Q&A: 'How to Blow Up a Pipeline'

European society is torn between eco-activism, climate change denial, reckless consumerism and fatalism. As various climate tipping points are nearing and the experts warn us that time to act is slowly running out, some people have decided to take matters into their own hands.

Already, the activists throwing soup at protected paintings caused an uproar in society. We can only imagine the reaction if they actually started blowing up pipelines. One thing is certain – these actions gather a lot of attention, for the better or the worse. The same could be said about Daniel Goldhaber’s call-to-arms film How to Blow Up a Pipeline and Andreas Malm’s book it was inspired by.

These topics sparked intense debate inside the climate change movements – is the time for negotiating, lobbying and “raising awareness” already past? Is the possible extinction we are facing an argument strong enough to resort to violent and destructive tactics that we are normally against?

After the screening, we are joined by director Daniel Goldhaber (via video link) and Extinction Rebellion's Clare Farrell to talk about whether we should be blowing up pipelines and what is the adequate form of communicating these ideas to a wider audience.

Date: Sunday 4 June
Time: 20:00
Location: De Balie, Amsterdam
Language: English

Tickets can be purchased via De Balie.

The 4th edition of the Forum on European Culture focuses on the meaning and future of democracy in Europe. Since the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine, it has become more and more clear that democracy is no longer an abstract self-evidence, but a fragile construction under pressure. How does Europe deal with technological developments, its history of colonialism, imperialism, and autocratic influences? And if Europe wants to be a democracy, what actions are needed? The Forum brings together artists, activists, and intellectuals to explore democracy as a cultural rather than a political expression. That fits our mission of developing and supporting initiatives in a culture that let us share, experience, and imagine Europe, to facilitate a European sense of belonging.