I Am Greta review

In August 2018, aged just 15, schoolgirl Greta Thunberg began a strike outside Swedish parliament to bring attention to the fact that action is urgently needed on climate change around the world.

This documentary follows Greta from those first days as her one-woman protest becomes something far bigger than she ever could have imagined – school strikes taking place around the world, Greta speaking on the world stage about how lack of international action about the climate will affect her and future generations, her meetings with politicians and royalty – and culminates with her journey in a racing yacht to the UN Climate Action Summit in New York. Throughout, her father Svante is with her as she speaks up and inspires a generation.

While this film sometimes feels stage-managed – there is a feeling that we only see what Svante wants us to see, even in what appears to be more private moments – it is nonetheless a fascinating and often moving documentary about a brave girl who is now a phenomenal woman. Diagnosed with Asperger Syndrome and OCD, the film often shows her in situations that would upset anyone – a girl not used to crowds surrounded by people pushing and shoving to get selfies, or surrounded by adults who see her as a photo opportunity but sit through her speeches looking at their phones – all of which underlines what a truly amazing spirit she is.

And that’s the takeaway from I Am Greta – while we may not learn much more about her than we have read in interviews or seen on TV, this documentary brings together many of the inspiring moments of her journey so far, emphasising how important her cause is and documenting how determined she is to see it through. A must-see for everyone, and proof, if it is needed, that one person really can make a difference.